Neglect of Kano Dry Port: Matters arising

In response to the questions by newsmen about effort being made to decongest the Lagos port, the current Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Mr. Hassan Bello stated that Jos and Funtua dry ports will be ready for business between December and January, 2020. Certainly, this cheering news represent something good, especially coming at […]

In response to the questions by newsmen about effort being made to decongest the Lagos port, the current Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Mr. Hassan Bello stated that Jos and Funtua dry ports will be ready for business between December and January, 2020. Certainly, this cheering news represent something good, especially coming at a time when all hands must be on deck to improve the economy of Northern Nigeria, in particular and address  the endemic poverty that has been ravaging the country.

It is an open secret that pervasive poverty can be described as Northern Nigeria’s signature trademark. No geo-political region of Nigeria can compare and come any close in terms of excruciating poverty, economic stagnation, squalor, want and degraded life challenges like Northern Nigeria. Besides there is strong link or nexus between high level insecurity in the country and poverty, and as such, whatever can be done to ameliorate the suffering and improve the economy of the people is a welcome development.

However, the startling revelation by the Executive Secretary that Kano has not been able to do anything tangible about developing its dry port at Zawaciki has come to many observers as a very rude shock!

The enviable status of Kano which pride itself as the commercial nerve center of the North, must be closely guarded. Many states in the North are doing whatever in their capacity to catch up with Kano or even surpass it in terms of ease of doing business and economic competitiveness. For that reason, observers including yours sincerely are finding it difficult  coming to terms with reasons why Kano economic stakeholders are not doing much to maintain the current economic advantage of the sate in the ever competitive world.

From the look of things, investment in the Kano Dry Ports is a very worth-while venture. Huge return on investment is future assured. The state is blessed with enterprising marketers who import and export goods and services which hold greater promise to transform the dry port into a more viable one.  Added to that, 70% of all north-bound imports are from Kano. Besides, it has closer proximity to the border which can also be another advantage for exports. When taking all these and many more advantages into consideration, investors have no cause to fear or hesitate in investing their money as the Kano dry port has many comparative advantages over the rest.

It is on that note that many are finding it difficult to understand why Kano State government has not tapped into this economic gold-mine which is one way of moving the economy away from oil as disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the NSC.

The Emir of Kano, Kano elders, and business tycoons like Dantata, Dangote and Bua, in conjunction with Kano State government via the state Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industries have a date with history, and posterity yet unborn will surely judge them accordingly if they allow this economic opportunity to slip away due to their actions and inactions.

 

Kabir Tsakuwa wrote from Kano.