With the flag-off of activities of the Kaduna Dry Ports, business community in Kaduna State and the entire North will receive a tremendous boost.

This was the assurance of the President of Kaduna State Shippers Association, Mr. Austin Achilike, to members of the business community who had hitherto experienced tremendous security and financial challenges while transporting their goods by road, to the North.

According to Mr. Achilike, the Kaduna Dry Ports will witness the delivery of containerised goods by wagon rail direct from Lagos to Kaduna state, for onward delivery to the other states in the north thereby eradicating unnecessary bottlenecks and also, bring about a speedy delivery of consignments to importers.

The Kaduna Shippers Association, in the words of Achilike, consists of individuals and organisations as importers and exporters with the aim of bringing about speed in service delivery to the business community in the North and, with the flag off of the Kaduna Dry Port which will bring in containers by wagon rail, it will greatly ameliorate the challenges faced by business men and women especially at the Tin Can Island and Apapa Ports, both situated in Lagos State.

It will be recalled that the Kaduna Dry Ports, located in Kakuri, in Kaduna South Local Government, was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2018 which, to many had been viewed with skepticism as another white elephant project of the government. This has however, now been proved wrong.

Speaking at the official flag off, Achilike revealed that one of the huge gains of the Kaduna Dry Port is that, it is a port of “Origin and also, Final Destination”, whereby, goods can originate from Kaduna to any part of the world and at the same time, be delivered direct to Kaduna from anywhere in the world, without interference at the other ports, but must meet with acceptable global practices as required by the laws and shipping regulations.

“The gains and benefits of the Kaduna Dry Ports is huge when viewed from the socio-economic perspectives as it will impact positively on the business community, not only in Kaduna state but the entire northern states due to the availability of the rail system and also, cause huge revenues to the Kaduna state government. Kakuri, as host community will also experience economic activities and developmental gains,” he stated.

Tasked on creating the right awareness and sensitisation drive, Mr. Achilike noted that the Shippers Association, Kaduna state chapter is doing its best to see that the gains of having the Dry Port situated in their state will be effectively utilised to its maximum as the secretariat will strive to ensure that all its members take advantage of the port as it will greatly assist in their various businesses.

“Kaduna state is now set for business,” he reiterated even as he commended the Kaduna state Government, under the leadership of Governor Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai for the vision of establishing the Kaduna Dry Ports towards creating an environment whereby, the ease of doing business is ensured.

Many exporters of agricultural products such as Ginger, Tomatoes and other exportable goods in the state, have expressed their gratitude to the Kaduna State Governor for his visionary and bold steps in establishing the Dry Ports here in the state as they will no longer be burdened by transporting their produces to Lagos.

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