Whereas it has not been made clear if the terminal will be fed with containers from either Port Harcourt or the yet to be concessioned Onitsha River Ports, the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has signed a 5.5 billion Naira Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), for the construction of a Bonded Container Terminal along Owerri-Onitsha federal highway.
The project will be delivered within a periods of 10 months.
Coming on the industrial zone of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo local government area of the state, it is expected to occupy 13 hectares of land and would accommodate various facilities as well as some government agencies such NAFDAC, NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Services.
It is also expected to including a container examination shed, equipment maintenance workshop, lorry and container parks.
Explaining more on the imports of the new deal, Chairman of Anambra State Investment Protection and Promotion Agency (ANSIPPA), Cyril Enweze said “The terminal would provide commercial services such as transportation and distribution solutions, customs brokerage and compliance solutions, freight management solution, export documentation, processing, storage and packaging solutions”.
In his remarks after signing the MoU, governor Obiano said the state government would boost the project by establishing a rail line to enhance productivity and avoid damage on roads due to movement of heavy duty truck on them constantly.
Chairman of Bonded Container Limited, Anthony Nwabunike, in an interview noted that “the idea of choosing Anambra is due to the think home philosophy of Governor Obiano, targeted at making the state a first choice investment destination”.
“The project is strategic, based on the fact that about 47% of Anambra people are into importation business and that the challenges they face in the hands of Nigeria Customs Officers on the road are numerous.
