In a strategic step to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime and logistics infrastructure, the federal authorities by way of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economic system has convened a high-level Stakeholders’ assembly for the collaborative assessment and validation of consultancy stories on the proposed Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economic system, Adegboyega Oyetola, famous that the maritime sector stays a strategic element of Nigeria’s economic system and a significant gateway for worldwide commerce and industrial productiveness.
Oyetola talking on the occasion held at Inexperienced Legacy Resort, Abeokuta, Ogun State acknowledged that maximising this potential requires sustained reforms and evidence-based planning, which knowledgeable the Ministry’s determination to fee the consultancy.
Oyetola, in a press release Wednesday in Abuja by the Ministry’s Director, Info/Public Relation, Anastasia Ogbonna, pressured the gathering was not merely a presentation train however a real collaborative validation course of designed to counterpoint the technical stories with the sensible, institutional data of operators inside the sector.
Represented by the Everlasting Secretary, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’aMahmood, the Minister highlighted that by way of the inclusive platform, Stakeholders have been scrutinising the consultancy findings to establish potential implementation dangers and be certain that suggestions are sensible, actionable, and in keeping with current authorized and coverage frameworks.
“By harmonising the views of all key establishments, we purpose to foster a shared understanding of the undertaking’s strategic path,” Oyetola stated.
He added that such lively engagement enhances transparency and builds the collective possession crucial for profitable adoption and efficient implementation of the Inland Dry Port undertaking.
Acknowledging, Ogun State’s pivotal place in Nigeria’s logistics hall, Oyetola appreciated the Ogun State Authorities for its strong cooperation, significantly the beneficiant handover of the undertaking land to the federal authorities.
He introduced that the consultancy companies are scheduled for completion inside a twelve-months timeline, calling for shut synergy among the many ministry, its maritime companies, and the consulting group.
He reaffirmed the federal authorities’s dedication to sustaining a collaborative atmosphere the place concepts are freely shared, stating that the profitable validation of the stories displays a shared resolve to construct a extra environment friendly, trendy, and globally aggressive maritime trade, describing the initiative as a cornerstone of the Ministry’s efforts to drive Nigeria’s {economic} development by way of a vibrant blue economic system.
Talking on behalf of Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo, reiterated the state’s sturdy dedication to attracting delivery logistics and associated industries, describing the undertaking as a key element of its imaginative and prescient to place Ogun as a significant industrial and logistics hub in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Director of Maritime Companies Mr. Meshack Adeola Oyinloye, acknowledged the Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port undertaking aligns with key nationwide insurance policies, together with the Nationwide Transport Coverage, the Nigerian Ports Masterplan, and the goals of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economic system. He famous its vital position in port decongestion, commerce facilitation, and Nigeria’s commitments underneath the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA).
The occasion introduced collectively representatives of the Ogun State Authorities, Dewlands Worldwide Firm Restricted (the Consultants), the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, and different key maritime Stakeholders to make sure the undertaking aligns with operational realities and nationwide {economic} goals.
Kasim Sumaina
Times Nigeria