Shippers’ Council, Oyo Govt Re-open Talks On Ibadan ICD Project

Secretary to the Government Of Oyo State, Mr. Ismail Lekan Alli,
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Hassan Bello
and Managing Director of Catamaran Logistics Limited, Mr. Lai Aare at
the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos yesterday after The Shippers’ Council Boss
met with a delegate from the Oyo State Government
on reviving the Ibadan ICD Project.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has re-opened talks with the Oyo State Government and concessionaire; Catamaran Logistics Limited on how to overcome impediments against the smooth take-off  of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) project of the Council in Ibadan, Oyo State.

At a meeting which held between the three parties at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos yesterday, Executive Secretary of the Shippers’ Council, Barrister Hassan Bello revealed that lack of substantive legal frame work is what has delayed the smooth take-off of the ICD project.

Bello charged the Oyo State delegation led by the Secretary to the state government, Mr. Ishmail Lekan Alli to concentrate its efforts with the other five ICD state governments on how to pressurize the Federal Government to gazette the ICD's as a port of destination and origin so that it can take-off.

He said that the Shippers’ Council has done all it could to push for the enactment of the legal frame work, adding that the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar had set up an ICD Implementation Committee and the recommendations of the committee had been forwarded by the Minister to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Bello also charged the concessionaire to ensure that it put structures in place and build it to an appreciable level, the physical presence according to him will force the government to bring about the legal frame work.

"I must confess that pushing the project has not been easy, one of the reasons is the argument for the legal frame work that the ICDs are supposed to be designated and gazetted as ports of destination and ports of origin"

"I will like you to pass this message to his Excellency the Governor of Oyo State that we have pushed far, maybe government to government pressure will be able to put on the Federal Government to Act fast"

"The gazette is at the last bus stop, immediately we have this done, we are in business, Shippers’ Council will like nothing better than to see the materialisation of the idea, the economic gains is not in doubt" he said.

Speaking earlier, Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr. Ishmail Lekan Alli said that the state government is desirous of bringing in international investors who will revive the moribund infrastructures in the state and that the ICD development is very key.

Alli stressed that developing an ICD in the state will also boost the effort of the state in its quest to divert its attention and interest to agriculture, stressing that there are expanse  of land which the state government wants to use for this purpose.

He however agreed that there is need to consolidate by way of putting structures in place at the site of the ICD in order to draw the attention of the Federal Government.

"The concessionaire should be doing something that is originally intended as a dry port thing, while the issue of garzetting is addressed, by this, the necessary foundation would have been laid, infrastructure provided while legislature is ongoing"

"Let there be some structures that will encourage even the powers that be to go into the legislation we are talking about, but when we have the place bare as it is for so long, I wouldn't want to see the encouragement we are giving the Federal Government, but one thing about the Oyo State Government is that we are never hostile to developmental aspirations, whatever it is that will favor our economy, our people and generate employment, we will support and collaborate with the government of the day, regardless of the party in power"

"There is no way we can industrialise without putting this facility in place" Alli said.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the ICD concessionaire; Catamaran Logistics Limited; Mr. Lai Aare, the company already has structures in place that could make government declare the ICD a destination port.

According to him, the concessionaire has also invested a whooping N250 million by way of acquiring a license warehouse bond from the Nigerian Customs Service.

He said that since 2006 till date, the concessionaire has continued to invest on the site, including acquiring of computers and other infrastructures for customs purpose.

Aare however alleged that the refusal of Customs to post its personnel to the place was one of the main obstacles against the smooth take-off of the ICD project.
 http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/shippers%E2%80%99-council-oyo-govt-re-open-talks-ibadan-icd-project