Shippers’ Council, Oyo Govt. to establish N72 billion dry port, truck park in Ibadan

By Tayo Oladipupo |

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello, said the Council had entered into partnership with Oyo State Government to establish a $200m (N72b) modern dry port, as well as a truck transit park in the state, in conjunction with some Chinese investors.

Bello made this known when soliciting for a 60,000 hectares of land for the dry port and another 35,000 hectares along Oyo/Ibadan road during his visit to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state in his office, in Ibadan yesterday.

Bello said the venture would improve the economic development of the state in particular and the nation in general.

In his words, “We are here because Oyo State is critical to development in transportation in Nigeria. Since 2006, the Federal Government had taken a decision to establish inland port in the six geo-political zones of the country, of which Oyo State is one. We have others in Abia, Jos, Kano, Maiduguri and Funtua.

“Because of the strategic importance of Ibadan, we have had inquiries from a serious Chinese investor for the project. Five days ago, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop this very important Ibadan dry port project.

“What we are looking for from the state government is to have, along the railway line that is currently ongoing, a 60,000 hectares of land to develop a modern dry port, while the transport transit park will require 35,000 hectares of land.”

Enumerating the numerous advantages of the modern dry port project, Bello said it would provide job opportunity for 10,000 people, adding that the truck transits park would equally generate 25,000 jobs.

He maintained that, the project was heavily dependent on the ongoing Lagos-Kano rail project, which would decongest the heavy traffic on road transportation of goods from the Lagos port to the rest of the country.

He disclosed that the proposed park alone would gulp N4.8billion, through the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).

According to him, apart from helping to diversify the country’s revenue base, it would enhance the internally-generated revenue of the state government, as well as provide security for cargoes through seamless tracking of goods.