The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has presented the Outline Business Case Compliance (OBC) certificate of the planned $134 million Ibadan Inland Dry Port to the Oyo State Government.

The dry port project, which is to be sited at Olorisa-Oko, at the terminal end of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard guage railway line, is a Public Private Partnership with the Nigeria Shippers Council, CECC Construction Company and the Oyo State Government as stakeholders.

While presenting the OBC certificate to the State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi on Tuesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Hassan Bello, expressed hope that the turning of sod, signifying the movement of the concessionaire to site and commencement of construction work would start before the end of the year or early 2019.

Bello said that the OBC certificate was valid for 12 months and urged all stakeholders in the project to fulfil their obligations towards ensuring the project is implemented in accordance with the stated project timeline.

The NSC boss pointed out that the Ibadan Inland Dry Port, estimated to be of 20,000 tons capacity, was initiated to reduce the usual traffic congestion at Apapa ports averaging 7,500 trucks and tankers per day.

According to him, following the presentation of the OBC certificate for the project to the state government, the NSC will soon inspect the allocated land so as to facilitate the exchange of letters from the Oyo State Government to the Nigeria Shippers Council, on behalf of the Federal Government.

Specifically, Bello advised the Oyo State Government to pay compensation to the land owners with a view to ensuring that the allocated land is free from threats of litigation or community-related agitation to fast-track the project construction and completion.

Bello, who said that he was not aware about the earlier plan to site the Ibadan Inland Dry Port in Erunmu, urged the state government to integrate Erunmu into the new dry port project so that Erunmu does not feel totally abandoned.

In his remarks, the state governor charged the NSC and Chinese company that will handle construction work, CRCC Construction Company, to execute the project according to the stipulated timelines.

Ajimobi explained that based on its projected capacity the Ibadan Inland Dry Port on completion would be the most patronised port in the country, adding that CRCC should be committed to the construction works to ensure its timely completion.

The representative of CRCC management, Mr. Dada Ahmed, promised his company’s commitment to the completion of the project as scheduled, since it is bankable and meets the requirements of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).