Stakeholders blame state governments, inadequate transport system for dry ports’ inefficiency

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have blamed lack of transport system, insecurity and the slow pace of some state governments for the poor performance and inefficiency of inland dry ports across the country.

Recall that the concept of dry ports in Nigeria was introduced during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. In 2003, the administration approved the creation of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in various parts of the country, with emphasis on areas lacking seaports.

Toeing this path, the then Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in 2017, said the Federal Government had approved six ICDs, one in each of the country’s geo-political zones to encourage exports from the hinterland.

The ICDs are located at Erunmu, Ibadan for the Southwest; Isi -Ala Ngwa, Abia, in the Southeast; Funtua, Katshina; Zawachiki, Kano for the Northwest; Heipang, Jos, for Northcentral and Jauri, Maiduguri for the Northeast.

The Guardian gathered that despite the laudable initiative, no significant gain has been achieved from it, as most of the dry ports are yet to take off.

Former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, said the establishment of dry ports was an economic decision to bring shipping closer to the people and as well help to untap lots of resources.

He, however, blamed the slow pace of some state governments for the poor performance of the inland dry ports as well as the lack of modern rail transport system as major factors inhibiting their performance.

“Unfortunately some governments are more cooperative than others. Kano state government, for example spent like N2.6 billion on road infrastructure to make sure that there is road, light, water and others at the Dala dry port, right now, Dala is connected to rail and are building a big terminal for exports. So, one of the aims of the dry port terminal is for exports (actually more than imports); imports is also good, but we should concentrate more on export because that will grow Nigeria and bring the foreign exchange that will stimulate the economy,” he said.

The former NSC boss called for the government’s deliberate intervention in the dry ports’ project, even as he argued for a law, specifically for the creation and existence of dry ports as panacea to making the ICDs function optimally.

Bello explained further that Nigeria must give a legal framework for the existence of dry ports and integrate them into the world of logistics chain.

On his part, a former president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke noted that the underperformance is as a result of the security situation in the country, Customs escorting system and the topography of the mode of transportation.

He said it is not convenient for anybody to ply the highways with containers, due to reasonable cases of diversion being recorded.

Nweke said, although, rail system is the only safe mode for transporting cargo now, the rail tracks are still under developed.