The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), says it is awaiting deployment of 20 coaches to enhance service delivery at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port.
NSC said the deployment to be made by the Nigeria Railway Corporation, (NRC) would commence operations next month.
Mr Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary of NSC disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday, in Abuja.
He said that though activities had commenced at the port before, but with the expected coaches, transportation of cargoes in and out of the port would increase.
“Kaduna Dry Port has come to stay since the inauguration in January; a lot of activities have been going on. Most importantly is to make the Kaduna Port an international port.
“A place where an importer can consign his goods and exporters can use the same facilities to export, in other word, Kaduna Port is a port of origin and port of destination.
“So far, there has been usage, but because of lack of coaches, NRC is about to issue 20 coaches for the use of cargoes, to convey cargo from the port.
“We are looking at May 2018 for the coaches to start, activities are already on, but enhanced activities will resume. We just want the locomotives and wagons to start bringing these goods, “ he said.
According to him, some institutions are already opening offices at the port, including the Nigeria Customs Service, which he said had issued a station code for operations at the port.
“NSC being the economy regulator, has been working assiduously to see to the proper take-off of the port in other to do this, we have to work with other regulatory agencies.
“Nigeria Customs Service has been of tremendous support to the Kaduna Dry Port, it has issued a station code for Kaduna dry port.
“Already there are certain institutions there like SON, NAFDAC, freight forwarders are moving to Kaduna for freight businesses, so full activities will resume“
Bello noted that the Jos Inland Dry Port had reached an advanced stage with 75 per cent completion.
He stated that by May 2018 the port would be ready and commissioned for use.
“Jos Dry Port has reached advanced stage, the laying of railway tracks will commence in three weeks’ time. It is 75 percent completed, after the laying of tracks, it will be commissioned in May“. (NAN)
