The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Monday unveiled the logo and theme for the Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP).
The Dala Inland Dry Port project is a logistics park located at Zawachiki in Kumbosto Local Government Area of Kano State. The port is expected to provide services from transportation, haulage and warehousing to custom clearing services in the export processing zone.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Governor Ganduje said the dry port will help decongest traffic witnessed at the Lagos State port.
The DIDP which is created to improve export trade and attract economic activities to Kano state and the country at large is also expected to boost regional trades of other West African Countries.
According to the Governor, the state government alone spent over ₦2.7 billion on the construction of access roads, perimeter fencing, provision of water, electricity and security for the project.
He said the “project was conceived over 20 years ago but didn’t go beyond paper work. So when we came in we decided to give it a political will”.
The project scheduled to be commissioned later this year will further create opportunity for the diaspora community to tap into the rich business potentials of the state.
The Kano governor said the ancient commercial city of Kano is set to experience huge economic transformation as well as take its rightful position as the centre of commerce in West Africa sub-region.
Boasting on notable rich industrialists who are from Kano state, Ganduje said “Kano is not a center of commerce by accident. It has been home to great traders and industrialists and today has given Nigeria two great enviable sons, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaku Rabiu.
“Kano is today the most populous and yet most peaceful state, it is home of the most hospitable people. It has great economic potentials. It accounts for at least 70% of none oil exports in the Country” He added.
The Governor however urged investors in and outside Nigeria to come and establish their businesses in Kano state.
Also Speaking, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amechi acknowledged that a commercial state like Kano deserves an inland dry port.
Represented by his permanent secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Minister said ” a state with sizable number of textiles and agro-allied industries, a Motor Assembly Plant, hides and skin industries and several manufacturing plants deserves an Inland Dry Port.
He noted that the dry port will “bring shipping activities closer to shippers in the hinterland and increase cargoes throughput; act as a catalyst for improved trade flows; boost inland trading, revitalize export of agricultural products thus leading to multi-product economy; create employment opportunities that would ultimately stem rural urban migration”.
He added that the port will pose as a source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the Kano and also increase the revenue of the federal government.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony include; Minister of Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, Chairman Nigerians in Diaspora Commission NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri, Managing Director, Dala Inland Dry Port, Ahmed Rabiu, Chairman Dangote Group Aliko Dangote represented by President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Engr. Mansur Ahmed, President BUA Group Abdulsamad Rabiu, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of SIFAX Group Dr. Taiwo Olayinka Afolabi represented by Wumi Jegede among others.
