NSC expects 20 train coaches at Kaduna depot 

By Omotilewa Quadri 

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) on Wednesday said it was awaiting the deployment of 20 coaches to enhance service delivery at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port.

NSC said the deployment to be made by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), would commence operations next month.

The Executive Secretary of NSC, Hassan Bello, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja.

He said that though activities had commenced at the port before, but with the expected coaches, transportation of cargoes in and out of the port would increase.

“Kaduna Dry Port has come to stay since the inauguration in January; a lot of activities have been going on. Most importantly is to make the Kaduna Port an international port.

“A place where an importer can consign his goods and exporters can use the same facilities to export, in other word, Kaduna Port is a port of origin and port of destination.

“So far, there has been usage, but because of lack of coaches, NRC is about to issue 20 coaches for the use of cargoes, to convey cargo from the port.

“We are looking at May 2018 for the coaches to start, activities are already on, but enhanced activities will resume. We just want the locomotives and wagons to start bringing these goods,” he said.

According to him, some institutions are already opening offices at the port, including the Nigeria Customs Service, which he said had issued a station code for operations at the port.

Bello noted that another facility, the Jos Inland Dry Port had reached an advanced stage with 75 per cent completion.

He stated that by May 2018, the port would be ready and commissioned for use.

According to him, “Jos Dry Port has reached advanced stage, the laying of railway tracks will commence in three weeks’ time. It is 75 percent completed, after the laying of tracks, it will be commissioned in May.”