Worried by the need for developed transport system, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is set to host stakeholders in the transportation sector, captains of industry, Aliko Dangote, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), AFRICEXIM Bank, and top government functionaries.
A statement signed by NSC’s Head of Special Duties, Mr. Ignatius Nweke said the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi will be the Chief Host at the event and would lead discussions with the aim to deal with issues of funding for the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and the Truck Transit Parks (TTP), both PPP projects targeted at decongesting the sea ports and providing public rest areas designed to provide temporary rest location for truck drivers.
The event, which is scheduled for next month, aims to find ways of bridging the infrastructural gap in the nation’s transport sector, as stakeholders will brainstorm on ways to address the infrastructure deficit in the transport sector, decongesting the seaports by ensuring the smooth take off of the Inland Container Depots (ICDs).
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The roundtable which is an initiative of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is also aimed at fine tuning arrangements for the establishment of Truck Transit Parks (TTP) to provide short-term resting place for truck drivers on long distance travels and reduce loss to life and cargo caused by accidents arising from fatigue.
Part of the statement read that “the roundtable will parade key transport industry stakeholders, Captains of Industry, notable among them, World’s richest black man and President of the Dangote Group and AbdulSalam Rabiu of the BUA Group.
“It is primarily intended to engage leading investments and development companies and banks like the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), AFRICEXIM Bank and many other investors to bring in their resources and invest in these viable projects that would bring good returns within a short period of time.”
He said Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema and Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Engr. Chidi Izuwah will be keynote speakers at the event.
Nweke explained that while Inland Container Depots (ICDs) otherwise referred to as Dry Ports operate as centres for transshipment of sea cargo to inland destinations, Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) are places for short-term breaks and also long-term parking services where truck drivers can get fuel, food, restrooms, shower and basic supplies like oil and spare parts as well as servicing and repairs of haulage vehicles.
