By Paul Effiong, Abuja
House of Representatives has launched a special ad-hoc committee for the rehabilitation and operationalisation of Baro Inland Port in Niger State, with a strong commitment to revive long-neglected national assets across the country.
Declaring the meeting open on Wednesday, Chairman of the committee, Saidu Abdullahi emphasised the importance of marching the words with action in order to go beyond empty promises and deal with the issues at hand.Â
He, therefore, pledged his committee’s readiness to address the challenges that could hinder Baro Port from full operation.
The chairman highlighted the historical importance of Baro Inland Port, which he said served as a key logistics hub during the colonial era.
He noted that the resuscitation of the inland port would enable the smooth transportation of agricultural goods and services from the north to coastal ports using a combination of rail and inland waterways.
Abdullahi cited China’s Yangtze River Port and the US Mississippi River Port system as successful examples of inland waterways that power national economies, calling on Nigerian leaders to urgently adopt a similar vision to unlock the potentials of Baro Port.
Meanwhile, to ensure full operationalisation of the port, the chairman stressed the need to dredge the main channel to enable vessel navigation, reconnect Baro to the national rail system via Minna, as well as construct accessible roads to facilitate cargo movement.
He also expressed delight that all essential equipment for the full resuscitation of Baro Inland Port is already in place, even as he emphasised his committee’s readiness to bring together, relevant stakeholders in order to ensure workable solutions that would address these critical challenges.
