After about 16 years of inactivity, the federal government is set to resuscitate the Inland Container Depot (ICD) project at Erunmu, Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Executive Secretary/Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr. Pius Akutah, disclosed this during an assessment visit to the site of the Erunmu dry port, Ibadan, on Wednesday, where he met with stakeholders from the host community, the concessionaire, and members of shippers councils in the South-West.
It would be recalled that the soil for the ICD Erunmu project was turned on August 11, 2008, after it was concessioned to Catamaran Logistics in 2006, which erected little infrastructure on the project site before it was abandoned.
The continuation of the Erunmu dry port project seemed to have been put in abeyance when the Oyo State Government and Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) activated moves towards the siting of another dry port at Olorisa-Oko, in Akinyele Local Government, Ibadan.
The NSC had then argued that it was possible for a state to have two dry ports, adding that the licence given to Catamaran Logistics in respect of the Erunmu Inland Dry Port had not been revoked.
Speaking on Wednesday at Erunmu, the NSC boss said President Bola Tinubu’s administration prioritised the importance of Inland Dry Port projects across the country, of which Erunmu was one.
Akutah said the federal government was on a fact-finding mission to know why the Erunmu dry port project stopped at about 20 per cent work done.
Like never, Akutah said the NSC had a mandate to rev up activities at the Erunmu site with a view to ensuring the completion and inauguration of the project in no distant time.
Akutah praised the residents of Erunmu for their patience for the many years that the project lay fallow, as he promised that the federal government would do all it could to ensure that the Erunmu ICD becomes a reality.
Akutah said, “This is one of the legacy ports. I am glad that the concessionaires as well as the community are here. You will recall that the Funtua Dry Port was recently commissioned by Mr. President. Shortly after that, the Honourable Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, directed that the president has instructed firmly that all the other inland dry ports should be looked into with the aim of facilitating their quick development. That is the major reason we are here today.
“We are here to take a look at what is happening here and interact with you and the concessionaire to see what the issues are that this Inland Dry port has not taken off more than about 20 per cent so far and to see what we can do in harmony to quickly facilitate the development of this Inland Dry port in accordance with the marching order of Mr President.
“We understand the importance of the Inland Dry Port project. These projects are meant to decongest the seaports and bring shipping services closer to shippers in the hinterlands. And we know that this zone is one of the major industrial zones of this country, where a lot of activities are going on. So having an inland dry port located here will actually help in decongesting the seaports and bringing about the efficiency that this government is looking at.
“So, we are here not to speak too much grammar; we are here to see what we can do to carry out the directive of Mr President to ensure that work returns here and these activities go on here to the completion and commissioning of this port.
“The concessionaires are here; we will talk after we take a brief look at what is already on the ground, and we will return to the office and call all of us together to see the way forward. This will be done in a very short time for us to move on with this project.
“You have been very understanding and have cooperated with us a lot. Some communities may not be as peaceful as yours is, and your yearnings and desire to have this inland dry port also show that you are really willing to help this country develop and grow very fast, and Mr President is committed to looking at the economy from the perspective of the non-oil sector.
“So, this infrastructure is one of the key infrastructures that will drive his renewed hope agenda for this country. We are here not just to come and watch what is going on here and go back, but we need your support.
“We need all hands to be on deck so that going forward, we shall carry out what we are expected to carry out to make sure that this Inland Dry Point comes to fruition.”
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the University of Ibadan, the Chairman, of the Traditional Council of Akinyele Local Government Area, Oba Odeniran James, enjoined the Nigerian Shippers Council to ensure that the host community benefits from the dry port project upon completion in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR), appointment, and engagement of indigenes.
He asked that the traditional rulers be tasked with the security of the project area, just as he said the traditional rulers should also be entitled to some royalties.
Speaking, the President of Oyo state Shippers’ Council, Mrs Elizabeth Olanrewaju, said processing terminals and facilities needed to be close to the dry port site to reduce the cost of transportation and other logistics.
Responding, the NSC Executive Secretary assured that communities will get their requisite percentages once the dry port is up and running, just as he called on partners to help build processing terminals close to the dry port site.
