The government has finished preparations to officially open the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State.
In a statement on Tuesday, Rebecca Adamu, the Assistant Director of the Public Relations Unit of the Nigerian Shippers Council, announced that the inauguration is scheduled for Thursday.
Adamu mentioned that the President Bola Tinubu will be opening the dry port at the Funtua IDP project site in Katsina State.
She stated, “This significant milestone marks a crucial moment in the council’s commitment to facilitating trade in Nigeria. It is also in line with the performance bond signed by the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.”
She also mentioned that the initiative is part of NSC’s key performance indicator to deliver the Funtua Inland Dry Port Project before the end of the first quarter of 2024.
Pius Akutah, the Executive Secretary of the NSC, emphasized that the establishment of the inland dry ports being promoted by the council would “bring shipping and port services closer to the importers and exporters at the hinterland, decongest the seaports, create job opportunities, improve and accrue huge revenue to the government”.
It is remembered that in February 2023, the Federal Government under Muhammadu Buhari declared Funtua IDP as a port of origin and destination, which will pave the way for importers and exporters to consign their cargo from Funtua to any part of the world.
Meanwhile, this is the third in the series by the Federal Government to open inland dry ports in the country.
The first was the inauguration of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port in 2018 and Dala Inland Dry Port in 2023, respectively.
