The Federal
Government has expressed its commitment to establish dry ports or Inland
Container Depots (ICDs) in the country to create jobs for unemployed youths and
diversify the economy.
The Minister
of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi said this on Tuesday during the final
inspection of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port.
“We are
doing everything possible to create jobs. Whatever we need to do to get the
port running, we will do it.
“The rail
will soon start running before the end of the year, which will be used to
deliver goods at the port.
“Everything
is set for commissioning because we have the land, warehouse and all but we
want to wait for the completion of the roads.
“We want to
wait for more activities in the dry port before we get the president to commission
it.
“I have
visited Jos and they are doing a good job and they promised to be ready by
June. I have visited Kaduna and what I have seen is commendable,“ he said.
Amaechi
commended the Kaduna State Government, saying “the job it is doing is very
good’’.
He said the
contributions from the government were high, adding the support was
appreciated.
The Governor
Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said that the initiative was from the previous
administration.
He said that
the state government would provide the necessary infrastructure needed to
implement the initiative.
He said that
the government would fix the roads leading to the port and create more exits to
avoid the congestion being experienced at the Apapa port.
“We
inherited this project from the previous administration and we thought it was a
project worthy of our support and we did everything we could to make sure it
works.
“We tried to
do whatever we could to ensure that the infrastructure that is required to make
the project a reality is done.
“The road
will be reconstructed with concrete pavement and we realised that we do not
want to replicate the problem of Apapa port because it only has one exit and
one entry,“ El-Rufai said.
The
governor, however, urged the company to employ the indigenes and talented
youths of the state to reduce the challenge of unemployment.
“We want to
support this work because 85 per cent of the population of Kaduna State
consists of young people below the age of 35 and our biggest challenge; and our
economic policy focus on creation of jobs.
“So, I
appeal to you to make the best use of the facility.
“The Kaduna
State Government will be a partner and we will direct all the companies that we
are attracting to Kaduna to use this facility.
He appealed
that the local people should be used for them to benefit from the project
rather than “importing import people from other states’’.
“Kaduna
State has talents. We have young people here and we expect you to give
preference to them,“ he added.
Speaking
earlier, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello,
appreciated the state government and the Federal Government for their support
for the project.
He said that
among all states where inland dry port was located, Kaduna gave the highest
support in ensuring that the project was completed.
Bello,
however, appealed to the state government to construct accessible roads and
provide proper infrastructure for the importation and exportation of cargoes.
He said that
the Kaduna Inland dry port could be used for imports and exports to and from
all over the world. (NAN)
0 Comments