From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has hinted of it plans to establish a River Port in Makurdi, the Benue State capital soon.
Executive Secretary of NSC, Barr. Emmanuel Jime disclosed this at a seminar on Appropriate and Quality Assurance of Agro-Allied Products as a Panacea for Increased Export,” organised by the Council in Makurdi.
He revealed that the Makurdi River Port is one of the new River Ports that would be developed across the country adding that the port had been earmarked and work would soon start on it.
“The contract has already been awarded in the 2021 budget that we are running and it will be complete in two budgets circles.
“I got that assurance from the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and I can assure you that it will be done by the Federal Government,” Jime said.
The NSC Executive Secretary while also reopening the Shippers’ Council Makurdi area office on Thursday, said the move was timely and in line with the present mantra and the Federal Government’s interest in boosting the non-oil export balance of trade from imports and to transform the nation to an export dependent economy.
“This enlightenment programme is very important to the Council as it serves as an avenue to bring stakeholders together for cross-fertilization of ideas on the way forward towards attaining efficient and effective packaging/quality assurance of agro-allied products as good boost in non-oil exports.”
Earlier in a remark, Benue State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Benjamin Agber maintained was timely even as he assured that the seminar would expose Benue people to the benefits of export trade and the best practices therein.