Kaduna Inland Dry Port to employ 5,000 direct staf

By Patrick Andrew Abuja

Th e newly built Kaduna Inland Dry Port will engage more than 5,000 direct staff beside several others from auxiliary fi rms when it begins operation soonest. Th is was disclosed by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Acting Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Offi cer, Hassan Bello, yesterday during a courtesy visit to the management of Blueprint Newspapers at its corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Th e CEO said the facility, constructed by Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL) and has the capacity to handle 29,000 tonnes of cargoes annually, would greatly facilitate reduction of the congestion in the Apapa Port, Lagos and others in the southern axis. Bello said when the port comes on stream, exportation and importation of goods and services by business entrepreneurs in the northern parts of the country would become relatively easier and less costly because of proximity of Kaduna to all the states in the north. “We have made the Kaduna Inland Dry Port the port of fi rst destination one that has the capacity to handle large truck haulage and it will greatly replicate all port activities of the Lagos port.

“Already, activities have been on trial basis and when it becomes operational it will employ 5,000 persons directly Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Offi cer, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello (left), receiving a copy of Blueprint Newspaper from the Chairman/CEO, Blueprint Newspaper Ltd., Malam Mohammed Idris, during the Council’s visit to the company’s Head Offi ce, in Abuja yesterday Photo: Tidzalla Zacchaeus in addition to several other employment opportunities that will be created by several other auxiliary fi rms.

“Now you can import equipment from China and other parts of the world, export our agriculture products at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port without being subjected to the ordeals of to going to the Lagos Port,” he said noting that dry port has been designed to meet the needs of people of the hinterland. According to him, operation of the dry port would not only create avenues for improved infrastructure including transportation; both rail and road, energy as well as create the platforms for small and medium scale enterprises to spring up thereby boosting massive employment opportunities and sustainable development.

Th e CEO, who was accompanied by other senior management staff of the Council, said his management has been working assiduously to transform cargo activities at ports less arduous adding that it introduced Standard Operation Procedures to conduct and direct operations at the port as well as created portal where complaints, observations and commendations could be channelled directly to the Council for prompt action.

“Automation at port has come on stream, clearing procedures have been made less tedious and we hope when the next ranking is made Nigeria will improve a lot better than the 175 it currently occupies in the world,” he said stressing that the Executive Orders on the ease of doing business plus the reforms the Council introduced would have positive impact on port activities.

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