Kano State Governor commends NPA over economic development

Gov Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano
State has commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for its continuous
participation in the Kano International Trade Fair over the years.

Kwankwanzo gave the commendation in
Kano on the occasion of the NPA’s special day at the just-concluded 35th
edition of the Kano International Trade Fair, which held from Nov. 22 to Dec. 4, 2014.

The governor appreciated the NPA
for also sponsoring and partnering with the Kano Chamber of Commerce,
Industries, Mines and Agriculture, (KACCIMA), organizers of the fair, to ensure
the success of the annual event.

Represented by Alhaji Mohammed
Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Kwankwanso
noted that the theme for this year’s fair ‘Promoting Agriculture and other
non-oil business sector for sustainable development’ demonstrated the state’s
desire to explore other revenue sources, encourage and  support the people of Kano, majority of who he
said were farmers.

He solicited for the support of the
NPA in this regard in order to position agriculture as an alternative source of
revenue for the state and Federal Government in view of the present dwindling
revenue from oil as a result of falling prices of Oil in the world market.

 Also speaking, the President of
the Chamber, Alhaji Umar Dansuleka thanked the NPA for its support and called
for a sustainable mutual economic relationship between NPA and the Chamber.

Dansuleka disclosed that in a bid
to encourage Kano businessmen and women who may want to do business with NPA
but discouraged by distance, the chamber had provided an office for such
transactions and urged the Authority to ensure that the office becomes operational
soonest.

He also enjoined the Authority to
assist the chamber to ensure the full utilization of the Inland Container Depot
in Kano for ease of cargo transportation from Lagos to Kano.

Responding, the Managing Director
of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, expressed condolences to
the government and people of Kano on the recent bomb blast which claimed many
lives.

Abdullahi who was represented by the
Assistant General Manager, Seaview Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of NPA,
Engineer. PhillipsonFalade, said Inland Container Depot, also known as Dry Port
was paramount to NPA’s operations.

He noted, however, that dry ports
needed efficient rail network to function, adding that the NPA was quite concerned
about a functional dry port as it would help decongest the port and its access
roads.

Mr Umaru Bukkuyam, the  Zamfara State Commissioner for Trade and
Commerce, lauded the NPA for promoting economic activities in the Northern part
of Nigeria, and invited the Authority to Zamfara State Trade Fair which he said
would hold soon.