Rail System Will Drive N43.2bn Ibadan Dry Port – Bello

The Executive Secretary of the  Nigerian Shippers ‘ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, has said that the ongoing standard rail gauge projects would help the N43.2 billion Ibadan Dry Port to function optimally on completion.

Speaking on the sidelines of the rail inspection project conducted by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, he expressed satisfaction with the level of construction of the rail project in the country, adding that the Lagos-Ibadan rail project would herald a rail revolution in the country.

According to him, the Ibadan dry port would be designated as port of destination where cargo would be consolidated for import and export, especially in the southwestern part of the country.

He added: “What we intend to do is that ships coming to Nigeria would have the rail there and they would just offload the cargo and off to Ibadan. Customs duty will be paid and off you go. You will shunt Lagos with its congestion and gridlock and come here. What could be more beautiful? “We need access to the ports because our exports products are perishable. They are temperature sensitive and sometimes, access to the ports takes a long time but with the rail, it goes.

According to him, the Shippers’ Council wants Ibadan to be the process zone for export that has been processed. saying that the construction of the rail would help the Ibadan dry port function because it was a dual mandate.

However, he called the Federal Government to place high premium on exportation of Nigerian commodities, saying the maritime sector has the capacity to finance the nation’s budget concurrently.

©The Sun