$4bn Dry Port project: Amaechi gives 6-month deadline to concessionaires

By KINGSLEY CHUKWUKA, Jos

THE Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has tasked the Plateau State government and Concessionaires to get Jos Inland Dry Port Container Functional by June 2017.

Amaechi stated this in Jos the Plateau State Capital at the weekend, during a walking visit, to inspect the Inland Dry Port Project site situated at Heipang

However, the Managing Director, Duncan Maritime Services, Concessionaires of Jos Inland Dry Port, Dr. Godfrey Bawa Shitgurum, also said that the estimated cost to complete project and get it started will gulp a whooping sum of over $4b dollars out of which $2b has been expended already.

The project which is 60 percent completed will gulp more than two more billion dollars to get it functional because of the current exchange rate in the country, says Mr. Shitgurum.

According to him, “we have spent approximately over $2b dollars to come this far and given the current fluctuation of dollars, we are projecting to expend over two more billion dollars to get the Jos Inland Dry Port Container fully commissioned by June”, he said.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Transport who is also accompanied by the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said that his visit to Jos was also to further solicit the Plateau State Government’s continuous support for the project especially in key areas.

The former Rivers State Governor explains that the project is in tripartite arrangement involving the Federal Government, the host State Government and the Private Investor, with each stakeholder playing a critical role in the development and implementation of the project.

The Heipang-Jos Dry Port Project was among the six gazette projects granted approval by the Federal Executive Council in 2006; and was concessioned to Duncan Maritime Services in the north-central, being the proponent with most responsive bid.