Mr Emmanual Jime, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), in a recent statement, has urged the concessionaires of the Funtua Inland Dry Port to ensure compliance with the specifications for the construction of a dry port.
Jime made this known on Tuesday when the concessionaire, led by Mr Usman Abass, Managing Director, Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas Ltd, visited him in Abuja.
He urged them to hasten the level of construction of the stacking area, saying that no dry port was complete without a stacking area.
He further said the ministry had approved the IDP’s operational manual, which had been produced and would be launched soon.
”Today, I am happy to say that the information I have received gives me great cause for joy and in no time the Funtua dry port will be up and running.
” And we are looking forward to the inauguration and commissioning of that project, like how I have been told, hopefully within this first quarter”, he added.
He noted that the council had requested its consultant to closely monitor developments at the port and report back every week.
Jime explained that funding was key in delivering a dry port and that the shippers’ council had put together a consultant, Mark Analytics, to help in that area.
”They have capacity to assist businesses such as yours to access funds. So I urge you to take advantage of it,” he added.
While commending the efforts of the Katsina government, he urged other states to participate in promoting the Public-Private-Partnership arrangement in the country.