Kebbi govt, Shippers’ Council to partner on Lolo inland dry port sensitisation

From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

Following the proposed establishment of Inland Dry port in Lolo, kebbi, the state government has concluded an arrangements with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to organize two days seminar for the people of the state on the important of the Lolo Inland Dry port and the new role as Port Economic Regulator.

This was disclosed at the joint interactive meeting with the officials of kebbi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and members of the Nigerian shippers council held yesterday at the Gwadangaji Secretariat, Birnin Kebbi.

The Zonal Coordinator of the North West Kano Zone, Hajiya Karimatu Othman said that the establishment of the Lolo port would move the economic and commercial activities of the state.

The Zonal coordinator said that kebbi state has allocated land and the invitation for expression of interest of concessioners has been advertised, adding that applications have also been received while the process is ongoing, ‘’we therefor need to partner with you towards the actualization of this noble project,’’ he added.

She said that the establishment of the Lolo inland dry port was very important considering that it has border stations with Niger/Benin Republics, adding that the state was blessed with abundant Agriculture and solid mineral commodities in commercial quantity for export purposes.

Hajiya Othman further explained that their major function is to encourage the formation of shippers’ Association Nation-Wide and also the NSC has established Shippers complaint service unit to handle shippers (Importers/Exporters) complaints/problem faced by them in the course of shipment of their cargo to and from Nigeria, problems relating to clearance of cargo at the ports/borders stations, insurance claims, cargo loss/damage and general arbitrary charges by the terminal operators.

Responding, the Governor Usman Saidu Dakingari who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of commerce and industry, Hajiya Fatima Sani Ango thanked the members of the council for their support and cooperation towards actualising the noble objective.

She added that kebbi state government has completed all the necessary arrangements for the fully implementation of the Lolo port by paying the land compensation and other necessary needs.