Maiduguri dry port ready for operation December — Zulum

The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has said that the Jauri Inland Dry Port located in Maiduguri, Borno State, would be ready by December.

Zulum disclosed this on Wednesday, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.

He added that by establishing inland dry ports, the state would tackle the issue of unemployment among the youth.

“I want to assure you of the speedy process of establishing an inland dry port in Maiduguri.

“Establishing the inland dry port in Maiduguri will bring a lot of opportunities to the government and people of Borno State. One employment generation, which would take thousands of young children off the street, is very important,” he stated.

According to Zulum, the platform would also enhance cross-border trade.

“This is what we are looking for. The relationship with our border countries would be enhanced; the country’s economy would grow very well, and our gross domestic product would increase,” the governor stated.

Speaking of rail connectivity to the IDP, Zulum added that the Federal Government was working to ensure the rehabilitation of rail lines.

“President Bola Ahmed’s initiatives are in the process of rehabilitating all the roads, and thousands of trucks are entering Maiduguri daily.

“So that will not be a problem. The establishment of the road system will fast track the process, but in the absence of rail, an efficient and effective road transportation system is in place,” Zulum noted.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Pius Akutah, said the importance of Borno State as a border town to three countries, cannot be overemphasised.

He stated that having an inland dry port in the state would boost international trade between Nigeria and other countries under the African Continental Free Trade Area, in which Nigeria opened its borders to the whole of Africa as one market.

“You cannot overemphasize the need to have this kind of critical infrastructure in a place like Maiduguri, Borno State, that has a boundary with three countries within the area.

“When he said 6 months, I believed him, and I knew the work would be done,” he said.

He said that the transit park area developed in the state had one of the critical infrastructures to service the IDP.

The NSC boss stated that the essence of the initiative, which would be a public-private partnership, was not for the government to drive the day-to-day running but for the private sector.

He declared that the two entities should come together and fast-track the process of harmonising and agreeing among themselves.

According to the NSC, the country currently has seven inland dry ports, though only two have been completed.