By Zika Bobby
The Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP) is set for full commencement of the Federal Government’s Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW) and the Export Expansion Facility Programme (EEFP).
General Manager of the port, Rotimi Raimi-Hassan disclosed that ahead of March when the DEW operations will fully commence, KIDP has put in place everything necessary for the smooth take off and hitch free services.
Raimi-Hassan said KIDP has procured three trucks through the Federal Government’s support that will be branded with the Nigerian Ports Authority’s approved mark to deliver export cargo directly into the ports without delays or stoppage by any regulatory and security agency.
According to him, all checks, examinations and due diligence required must have been completed at the designated DEW facilities, which KIDP is one of the nine recently approved by the government. He also assured exporters that will use KIDP of prompt and efficient services that will help them reap maximum benefits from their investments in export business which will open job opportunities and expand avenues for more trade The Federal Government through the Nigerian Export Promotional Council (NEPC) had approved the setting up of the DEW to ease supply chain constraints as part of its efforts to boost non-oil export in the country.
At an interactive session with private sector export stakeholders in Abuja, the Executive Director of NEPC, Ezra Yakusak, reiterated the council’s commitment to the success of the DEW programme
At a meeting to showcase key beneficiaries of export expansion facility programme in Abuja, the NEPC CEO said the agency is committed to address logistics constraints for competitiveness and promotion of exports
DEW is expected to reduce the cost of doing business for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), exporting companies, and also be a one-stop transit facility/terminal where pre-shipment activities like packaging/labelling, fumigation, pre-shipment inspection, etc of export designated agricultural products in preparation for transportation to the ports priory to eventual shipment.
Kaduna Inland Dry Port is being Nigeria’s first dry port has been noted to be equipped with modern facilities and highly skilled manpower to handle and process exports as a way of helping in the Federal Government economic diversification agenda.