The Nigerian Shippers’ Council disclosed yesterday that the Ibadan Inland Dry Port (IIDP) has been estimated to cost about $99Million as at the time the Outline Business Case (OBC) was prepared.
The agency also said that the project is intended to enhance the nation’s cargo handling and processing capacity with additional 40,000 TEUs per annum.
The Executive Secretary of the Council; Mr Hassan Bello said this at the Oyo State Governor’s office during the handover ceremony of the Ibadan Inland Dry Port exchange of letters in Ibadan.
Bello also added that the Ibadan Inland Dry Port project will introduce a modern and sophisticated system, process and procedures to handle and process cargoes, as well as provide additional means of integrating surface transportation of containers in the states in the South West Zone as well as Kwara and Kogi States.
Speaking further on the facilities that the dry port will have, the Shippers’ Council boss added that, it will also “provide a comprehensive cargo sorting centre and t serve as a temporary storage facility”. It will also “provide cargo and truck management facilitation interface through installation of appropriate equipment and machineries to receive and dispatch containerized cargo to and from the IDP for onward shipping”, he explained.
Explaining further, Bello said that the dry port facility will comprise of a container freight station with an adjacent stuffing and stripping area that also serves as customs inspection zone, a loading and unloading area for trucks carrying Less than Container Load (LCL) cargo, an equipment parking area dedicated for maintenance and repair activities, and a container interchange, including a truck parking area outside of the IDP boundary.
He told the Governor that the Ibadan Inland Dry Port “shall provide all container handling and storage services that a port typically offers”.
“It shall be equipped with modern reach stackers and tractor trailer units for container handling and horizontal transport and will be connected to the national road and rail networks”, he concluded
Responding, the Governor of Oyo state; Abiola Ajimobi, described the project as one of the most important projects in the transportation industry which will improve the commerce and social economic development of the state.
“This is one of the most important projects in the transportation industry which will improve our commerce and will improve the social economic development of the state”.
He also recalled that the state was one of those that were selected for the establishment of inland dry ports in Nigeria.
“I think most of us know the history, in 2007 the Federal Government concessioned for inland dry ports and Oyo state happened to be one of them”, he recalled.
Describing the IIDP project as a strategic economic booster for the state, the Governor added that yesterday’s event was a milestone.
“And today (yesterday) we are witnessing a milestone of exchanging the necessary documentation to say that we have handed over that land to the federal government”.
The governor acknowledged that the project will also boost the social cultural development of the state, because, according to him, “there will be a lot of movement of goods and services in the state. The state entirely will be affected positively by this strategic project. “
Governor Ajimobi also lauded the Executive Secretary of Shippers’ Council; Mr Hassan Bello for his commitment to the project.
Also speaking, Minister of Transportation; Mr Rotimi Amaechi thanked the state government for the gift of the land, even as he lauded the communities for donating their lands, saying that they were the reasons the rail lines were expanded.
“We thank Oyo state government for the gift. Before I start talking about this let me strategy by thanking all the communities on the Lagos- Ibadan rail track”
“We never experienced any confrontation while the project was ongoing. Even when properties were demolished, they gave us time to rebuild.
It was even the government that said they wanted the gauges to be expanded to 100 and that was basically at Abeokuta and Ibadan here
“”We thank Oyo state government for the gift. Before I start talking about this let me strategy by thanking all the communities on the Lagos Ibadan rail track”
