Nwabunike urges patronage of Kaduna Dry Port

David Oladimeji |

The president of the Association of Customs Licensed Agents (ANLCA), Tony Iju Nwabunike, has lamented the abandonment of the Kaduna Dry Port and urged the Federal Government to prevail on importers to patronize it for effective trade facilitation.

Speaking at a roundtable organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos, Nwabunike said lack of patronage of the dry ports can be attributed to stakeholders who are meant to make the ports viable are not doing enough.

He explained that there are six dry pots in the country and the Kaduna port is more efficient to make its impact in the economy but unfortunately they are not being patronized.

The ANLCA president stated that importers prefer to utilize neighboring ports of the other countries to discharge their goods and then bring them into the country,adding that such attitude is not good for the country.

Nwabunike said that dry ports were being run by private companies that did not have the capacity and standard to operate, thus the need for assistance.

He noted that to ensure effective running of the ports, there should be a form of partnership with logistics companies and a form of sensitization for its patronage.

He urged Federal Government through the Nigerian Shippers Council and the people of Kaduna who import to make use of the Kaduna Port as this would help decongest the Lagos Port.

According to him, the Kaduna Dry Port is not about imports alone, but also exports which will lead to employment of youths and enhance trade and urged the government to take advantage of this.

Nwabunike also advised the government to review the charges at the ports especially the Lagos Port to make them more user-friendly.

He said the reason some people lose their lives while taking delivery of goods through illegal routs is because of charges at the ports.

According to him, the government puts up charges to discourage importation in the country but they need to do the needful for such to happen.

“They should encourage local manufacturing of cars, agricultural products and others so that the importation of these items will be minimized”, Nwabunike disclosed.