Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, disclosed that the Lagos-Kano rail line as well as the Lagos-Port Harcourt
standard gauge would start running
before
the end of 2017.
This was just as he expressed satisfaction with the state of work at
the Kaduna inland dry port which he said was set for commissioning soon.
He disclosed this during an inspection of the port in kaduna in company
of Kaduna State Governor, Malam
Nasir el-Rufai.
He added that the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration
was to establish a safe and efficient transport system that will further boost
economic activities across the country.
The minister also informed that plans were underway to procure
additional 20 locomotive trains for cargo services from Lagos to Kano and Lagos
to Port Harcourt.
The Kaduna inland dry port project was designed to decongest the
seaports and bring shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters
in the hinterlands.
The port which has the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum
when commissioned would serve as a port of origin and final destination which means it will have
the status of international port, including customs, immigration, port health
officials, as well as government security agencies.
The minister explained that by
the time the rail projects were completed, they would largely help importers
and exporters of goods to transport them through the rail lines, thereby saving cost, time and
further guaranteeing safety of their goods.
“We are doing everything possible to create jobs and whatever the
federal government needs to do to get the port running will be done.
“The rail line 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.
The minister commended the efforts and various contributions of Kaduna
State government and solicit the government’s contribution towards ensuring
that roads are in perfect shape.
On his part, Governor el-Rufai informed that the project was inherited
from the previous administration and assured that the state government would
provide the necessary infrastructure needed to see to the effective take-off of
the port upon commissioning.
He said that the government would fix the roads leading to the port and
create more exits to avoid possible congestion usually 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 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.
”We are committed to make the port a modern port and in compliance
with international standard to ensure proper regulations, we will also ensure
that appropriate cargo clearance equipment will be deployed while human and
vehicular traffic within the port will be avoided as much as possible,” he
stressed.
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