Kano State to spend N2.5bn on Dala Inland Dry Port

The Kano State Government says it is spending N2.5 billion on infrastructural facilities at the Dala Inland Dry Port to boost economic and social activities in the State.

 

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Gas Sector Stakeholders (AKK) Forum organized by the Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria (GACN).

 

The forum had as theme, “Optimizing the Economic Development of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano “AKK” Gas Project”.

 

“Kano is an export processing zone; those importing or exporting goods can have their goods directly delivered here.

“We are exploiting the port for the benefit of our people and economy,” Ganduje said.

 

Ganduje thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for bringing the project to Kano, taking cognizance of the commercial impact on the State.

 

He said that the State government had established a committee on the AKK that sensitizes communities along the pipelines and engaged investors on the project.

“In order to attract investors, the first strategy we adopted is to ensure peace and stability in the State.

 

“We have identified vulnerable areas in terms of security, especially in Dansoshiya forest where we are doing the Ruga settlement and Falgore forest, where we established military training ground.

 

“We are using technology to monitor these forests and protect our people,” he said.

 

The governor also said that the government grouped industries at Bompai, Challawa, Sharada, Tokuntawa and the new Tamburawa Industrial area so as to maximize the full advantages of the AKK project in the State.

 

He revealed that a research conducted showed that 88 industries were functional at Bompai and 78 at Challawa and Sharada.

He further added that about 201 industries were moribund and needed to be reactivated, adding that the AKK project would tackle this challenge.

 

Ganduje explained that the State has advantage in transportation, saying that work was ongoing on the roads that link Kano to Kaduna, Kano to Maiduguri and Kano to Katsina.

 

Earlier, the chairman, Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria, Mr Mansur Sambo, said that the forum was to sensitise gas users as a prelude to completion of the project.

 

He said that the project would assist to revive moribund industries in Kano and other States that the pipelines would pass through.

 

Sambo noted that most of such industries were supported with power supply for their operations.

 

“The AKK project would restore the lost glory of those industries,” Sambo said.

 

He also thanked the Federal Government for reviving the project, which had been comatose for the past 30 years.

 

Source: NAN