Nigeria’s President, Mohammadu Buhari is expected to inaugurate first Inland Container Dry (ICD) Port in the South-South region of the country, cited in Benin City, Edo State on Monday, next week.
The Managing Director/CEO, Atlantique Marine Engineering Services (AMES), initiators of the project, Dr Charles Akhigbe made this known in an interview with newsmen in Benin City.
According to Dr. Akhigbe the project which was at its last stage of completion before the inauguration would on September 17th , 2018 play host to four Federal Government agencies for an on the spot final assessment before the grand breaking event by President Buhari.
He noted that agencies which include; the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) as well as the Federal Ministries of Transport and Finance would be reviewing among other things work done so far on the project site.
Dr. Akhigbe explained that part of the visit was also to assess the location for grant of the final concession to the Atlantique Marine Engineering Services (AMES), the promoters of the project.
He said this would enable for the submission of a report to the Minister of Transport on the state of readiness for the ICD to commence receiving containers as an import and export dry Port.
Dr. Akhigbe explained that once in operations, the ICD will help decongest the Lagos port.
He added that not less than 15, 000 direct and indirect jobs for the unemployed as well as a one-stop shop for import and export activities in the state and the South-South zone will be created.
