Group calls on Minister to hasten rail connection to Plateau Dry port.

The Association of Bonded Terminal Operators of Nigeria (ABTON) has appealed to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi to compel the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to expedite actions on connecting the Heipang Dry Port in Jos , Plateau State to rail lines.

Secretary General of the group, Haruna Omolajomo made the plea on Thursday in Lagos while speaking with newsmen in his office.

The Jos-based Inland Dry Port also known as Container Freight Station is concessioned to Duncan Group of Companies.

Omolajomo who doubles as the General Manager, Duncan Bonded Terminal , disclosed that construction work of Inland Dry Port (ICD) in Jos has reached 75% completion, but lamented that the project would not achieve its full potential without connection to the rail line.

The logistics operator also noted that the ICD when completed would serve as an export base for the middle belt and northern regions of the country respectively and would further boost manufacturing of locally made products .

He therefore called on the promoters of the Jos ICD in collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers Council to create more awareness programmes for people in the region to further complement shipping activities in the region.

The Duncan terminal boss insisted that the stakeholders in those parts of the region may not understand the potentials behind maritime activities, saying that the enlightenment programme would serve as a window for them to know the benefits behind ICD projects.

Said he: “The federal government has a lot of role to play as far as the dry port is concerned because if the railway lines are not working for about 70% then the establishment of the dry port may not actually succeed.

“Taking containers from Lagos to Jos via the roads would compound problems for investors and that is why government needs to step in and collaborate with the promoters of the Jos ICD.”

Speaking on the best way to manage the obstacles before the completion of the facility, Omolajomo called on the government through the NRC to be aggressive in the Lagos – Jos and Port Harcourt -Jos railways completion before the take-off date of the dry port.

“Am yet to see the sincerity in the NRC on the Jos ICD. To be sincere the NRC should have a maritime schedule that will be achievable to the dry port.

“What I mean to say is that containers that are designated for Jos from Lagos should have a time schedule whereby time would be of essence”, he further added.