According to report reaching oyogisst.com, Governor Seyi Makinde has revealed intention to invest in dry port for 15% stake.
The governor and the Minister, who also jointly inspected the location of the Dry Port and the Moniya Terminal of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, said that the Dry Port would bring great economic benefits to Nigerians and relieve the Apapa Ports, Lagos of congestion.
While speaking when Amaechi led the delegation including officials of his Ministry and the Nigerian Shippers Council to Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, Governor Makinde declared that the State wanted the Dry Port to start operation almost immediately adding that the government would do all that is necessary to ensure the bottlenecks are resolved.
The governor said that he was aware of most of the issues affecting the take off of the project and gave the commitment that all issues would be amicably resolved.
On Infrastructure around the Dry Port corridor, Makinde said that his government had completely reconstructed the Moniya – Iseyin road, which linked the Inland Dry Port (IDP).
He said: “We are thinking of a very solid infrastructure that will ensure that the headache at Apapa in Lagos doesn’t happen here, we will be able to handle it very well and plan ahead in this place; that is the scheme and scope of infrastructure we are thinking about.
“For us, the whole area, the IDP, the rail corridor and the few acquisitions that will be done around that place; we think that should be our new world, a new business district for us.
“If what we are putting in place are not going to fit into the plan of the Inland Dry Port, we can always look at other areas for us to execute the same plan.”
On the plan by the state to have Equity in the project, Makinde stated that it was to smoothen the operations of the Port.He said: “We feel that irrespective of who is in government, it’s better for the state to play a part in the project.“So Oyo state is pushing to have 15 per cent equity in the dry port and industrial park, we believe that will help the project in the future.
“We think that model is actually good for the Federal Government and the project promoters as well.
“Because, further down the line, when there are challenges, such challenges can be quickly resolved if the state government is participating in the project.
Makinde assured the Minister of his commitment and that of the state government would do everything to ensure that the IDP project becomes a reality.
