The Governor of Bornu state, Prof Babagana Zulum, has assured that his administration will make sure the Maiduguri Inland Dry Port (IDP) project which was abandoned after about 10 percent work as a result of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.would be completed in six months.
The governor, who disclosed this after a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr Pius Akutah and his management team said the IDP if completed would be of huge economic benefit to the federal government and the people of Borno State.
The completion of the dry port, according to him, will reduce unemployment and therefore reduce insecurity in the state.
He equally added that the project will lead to additional revenue generation for the country. “The dry port when completed will bring about employment generation which will take away thousands of young children off the street, this is very important.
“The establishment of IDP will enhance transborder trade, it will also enhance relationship with our border countries.
“The IDP will enhance the economy of the nation and also increase the nation’s GDP.
“We are trying to divert our attention from mono-economy, which is oil, by investing in other opportunities. I think Nigeria will be great soon” Governor Zulum stated.
The Governor also commended President Tinubu for the plans to rehabilitate roads leading to Maiduguri where trucks use, adding that this will also help the IDP in the absence of railway.
The Executive Secretary, while welcoming the Governor and his team said his physical presence at the meeting was a clear indication of his deep commitment to the development of infrastructures that will promote economic growth in the state and the country.
Akutah said that the Ports Economic Regulator has been mandated by federal government to promote the development of critical transport infrastructures such as Inland Dry Ports in the country.
He said that Maiduguri happens to be one of the foremost inland dry ports slated for construction after its concession in 2006 under Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) agreement.
The ES noted that the construction of the dry port has been a major concern to the federal government since Borno occupies a very crucial location in Nigeria’s international trade and routes.
He disclosed that after the commissioning of the Funtua Inland Dry Port project in Katsina State, the President had directed a quick development and commissioning of other major dry ports of which Maiduguri is among.
He added that the dry port has been estimated to take as much as 10,000 teus when completed but regretted that at the moment, the dry port is at the level of below 10 percent work done so far, as a result of security challenges in the state.
He stressed that efforts have been made for the project to take-off in view of the importance of the route to trade in Nigeria especially as there is government focus on promoting the development of the non-oil sector of the national economy.
“We are here to look at the way out of the security situation in Maiduguri and bring the two partners (concessionaires that is two companies together) to see how the project can go on”, he said.
He further explained that the meeting was to see how the Council and the State Government can bridge the gap and speak to the two companies involved in the project to make headway.
According to him, “We have seen the extent of work done in one of the terminals there, the support the state government has given to them and we want to see how we can leverage on that and bring the two partners together to see if there will be synergy to develop that infrastructure for the sake of national development”.
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