N10 Billion needed to complete Dry Port

The Jos Heipang Inland Dry Port (IDP) in Plateau State needs about N10 billion to complete due to the setback it suffered during the immediate past administration when the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) demolished the site.

Due to the destruction without any justifiable reason, the Dry Port took the last government to court, which has just been settled out of court.

The Group Managing Director, Duncan Group of Companies, Dr. Godfrey Bawa Shitgurum, stated this yesterday when the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi visited the Port. He said that the story of the project would have been different because the gathering yesterday would not have been to inspect the project but to commission it.

He expatiated on the court case, saying that about four years ago, the JMDB came to demolish all structures at the Port for no just cause, adding that to seek justice, they had to go to court, stressing that they should not demolish the place though the JMDB had already carried out the destruction.

To replace the destruction, he said they spent about N2 billion, adding that to complete the whole project, they will spend another money valued about N8 billion bringing the total to ten billion Naira because of the recent exchange rate.

The Minister expressed happiness with the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRS) for working together to fashion out a new agreement which when signed will provide pragmatic and achievable milestones.

He was happy that, so far, “Plateau State Government has completed a dual carriage access road to the facility, as well as land acquisition and payment of compensation to land owners, while the concessionaire has achieved some stages of development with the supervision of Nigerian Shippers’ Council since their movement to site.