Minister of Transport visits ICNL facilities at Kaduna, commends Sir Emeka Offor

The Federal Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suileman has commended Inland Containers (Nigeria) Limited (ICNL), a subsidiary of Chrome Group and the Kaduna State government on the establishment of Kaduna Inland Container depot otherwise called the Kaduna Dry Port, at Kaduna. Inspecting facilities of ICNL at Kaduna, the minister expressed satisfaction at the level of development at the facility, pouring encomiums on the Chairman of Chrome Group, Sir Emeka Offor, describing him as a patriot who loves Nigeria and contributes immensely in the development of the country.

The Inland Container Depot (ICD) is a ‘Dry Port’ and Customs Bonded Area which serves as a common user logistics centre and container terminal for import and export activities and which is serviced by rail, road and sometimes inland waterways transportation. The Kaduna ICD is established to provide services for the unloading of full import container cargoes for onward shipment to overseas destinations.

Expatiating on the benefits of the Kaduna ICD to the local populace, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICNL, Mr. I A. Yusuf said that ‘apart from bringing port services closer to the hinterland customers at Kaduna and neighboring states, as well as land-locked neighboring countries, it will serve to reduce congestion at the seaports, improve transportation infrastructure, facilitate increased trade and economic activities especially in the hinterland. It will also revitalize the once strong Nigeria agricultural export activities.’

Continuing, he said, ‘with a vision to become the first and preferred ICD in Nigeria, the justification, value proposition and significance of the Kaduna ICD, have become imperative to accelerate the socio economic transformation of Kaduna State.’

Answering reporters’ questions, the chairman of Chrome Group, Sir Emeka Offor, said, ‘the critical key success factors of the Kaduna ICD have been identified to be the functionality of the Nigeria Rail Transport System and a definitive legal status of the Kaduna ICD as a ‘port of origination and final destination’ by the Federal Government of Nigeria. While urging the Federal government to speed up the rehabilitation of the railway system nationwide, to facilitate easy movement of goods and services, he commended the Kaduna State government for its interest and support towards the realization of the Kaduna ICD project.

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Val Oji

Chief Communications Officer

Inland Containers (Nigeria) Limited

Tel +234 803 719 0145