By Paul Effiong, Abuja
Federal government and the House of Representatives have pledged to urgently revive Baro River Port in Niger State.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made this known in Abuja when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Stakeholders Engagement on the Challenges and Prospects of Baro River Port.
Oyetola acknowledged that the port has been struggling to operate at capacity since its commissioning in 2019 due to gap in supporting infrastructure and navigability.
The minister also outlined concrete steps to overcome the existing challenges and unlock Baro Port’s full economic potentials.
He revealed to the committee that the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, plans to dredge up to 2,000 kilometres of inland waterways, a move that will ensure that Baro Port maintains the appropriate depth for year-round operations.
On his part, the Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji who identified the lack of dredging, as well as inadequate road and rail connectivity as part of the challenges bedeviling Baro River Port, disclosed that the project was awarded by the previous administration at the cost of ₦3.56 billion, of which ₦3.35 billion representing 94 percent had already been paid to the contractor.
He disclosed that arrangements are currently underway to concession the port to private operators in order to attract fresh investment and ensure its effective operationalisation.
Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali revealed that his ministry is developing a rail line to connect Baro Port with the rest of the country.
He acknowledged funding as a major hurdle and appealed to lawmakers for adequate budgetary provisions to ensure that the linkage is completed.
Earlier, the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee Chairman, Saidu Abdullahi, noted that the panel’s role is not investigative, but facilitative with the aim of ensuring the full operationalisation of the port.
He equally informed that the current engagement will be followed by a national stakeholders’ forum to build consensus and mobilise political, technical and financial backing for the project.
It would be recalled that Baro River Port is located in Niger State and is strategically positioned to link the agricultural value chain and serve as a feeder to Onitsha, Lokoja and Warri ports.
