In Kano, Buhari Commissions Inland Dry Port, 10MW Haske Solar Plant, 469 Housing Units

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the Dala Inland Dry Port hosted by Kano State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government.

The Inland Dry Port Project was conceived as part of the Federal Government’s Ports Reform Programme designed to decongest the seaports, while also taking shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterland.

The President who was in Kano on Monday also inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA)-funded 10MW Haske Solar Plant in a 24-hectare land in Kumbotso Local Government of Kano State.

The plant, which links industrial customers to an additional power supply, “represents a significant step towards efforts to provide clean, reliable, and sustainable energy for all Nigerians.”

The 10MW plant is the largest completed solar plant in Nigeria and the first under the NSIA renewable energy platform.

President Buhari also commissioned the Family Homes Funds Estate, Darmanawa, Kano, which consists of 469 affordable housing units with ancillary infrastructure.

The inauguration is coming on the heels of the inauguration of the 2,600 Housing Estate on Potiskum road, Damaturu, Yobe State, a project executed by Family Homes in partnership with Yobe State Government.

On the Dala Inland Dry Port, the Minister of Transport, Mu’azu Sambo, recalled that in March 2006 the Federal Executive Council had granted approval for the establishment of the transport infrastructure at chosen locations across the country.

He said the infrastructure would undergo a concession to private sector operators on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) with a strategic framework to Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model.

‘‘Dala Inland Dry Port at Zawachiki in Kano State was among the six Inland Dry Ports approved and the concessioned went to Messrs Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited,’’ he said.

He stated that the dry port has been designated a Customs port with all the prerequisites of an international port including Customs, Immigration, Port Health Officials and Government security agencies.

He thanked Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State for his investments on infrastructural development particularly, road networks amongst others which has made the Dala Inland Dry Port a reality.

Reiterating that the Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP) is a Port of Origin and Final Destination, the Minister called on national and international maritime practitioners, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries and port users to take full advantage of this facility for import and export of their cargoes.

On the 10MW Haske Solar Plant, the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, described the solar plant as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s power generation, achieving the energy transition goal as well as increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix.

The Minister revealed that the construction of the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant project is almost completed, while other power plants projects are at various stages of completion.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed that over 16,000 houses have been successfully built in the past four years by Family Homes Funds Limited, under the guidance of the Ministry.

She recalled that the Ministry together with the NSIA established Family Homes Funds Limited with a structured approach to address the housing deficiency issue in the country.

‘‘We had a vision to support your government’s housing agenda by ensuring we cater for the low-income earners of Nigeria by providing quality houses that are affordably priced,’’ she said.

According to the Minister, the agency now has a strong presence in all the six geopolitical zones and through its projects, created over 75,000 direct and indirect jobs.

‘‘There are completed and ongoing housing projects funded by Family Homes Funds in 12 states of the Federation and in the next two years, we intend to build additional affordable houses in all 36 states including the FCT,’’ she said.

The President also inaugurated the Cancer Treatment Centre at Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital, Giginyum, Muhammadu Buhari Road Interchange at NNPC Mega Station, Hotoro and Aliko Dangote Ultra-Modern Skill Acquisition Centre, Zaria Road.