Former military Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), have called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the Baro Inland Port in Niger State to make it fully operational.
The two retired generals pledged their support for the project given its significance to the economic revival of the country.
Both Babangida and Abubakar spoke in Minna, the Niger State capital on Friday at separate courtesy visits by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of the Baro Inland Port.
In his remarks, Abubakar called for the elevation of the port to the status of an internationally recognised inland waterway to secure its long-term viability.
‘Once it is made an international waterway, no future government or political interest will be able to tamper with it. Baro Port, from time immemorial, has played a very significant role in bringing goods to the North. We must restore it to that position’, he said.
He noted that previous military regimes from Babangida to himself recognised the importance of the port.
The former head of state urged the Federal Government to provide adequate funding for the revival of the port in the interest of the nation.
Highlighting a four-point plan to make the facility operational, Abubakar said, ‘These are the key steps. One, dredge it and make it an international waterway. Two, resuscitate the rail line to carry goods to the North. Three, build a proper road, not what we have today. Four, make it a free zone to encourage business. If you do these, Baro Port will work and the whole country will benefit’.
He also urged the committee to resuscitate other inland ports, such as Lokoja for coordinated trade and economic growth, saying, ‘For God’s sake, make sure that any allocation for Baro is utilised. This port is very critical to us’.
Speaking with the lawmakers in his residence, Babangida described the lawmakers’ visit as timely, describing Baro Port as a project critical to the nation’s economy.
Babangida recalled advocating the project during the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua and expressed hope that the current push would be the final one needed to get it completed.
‘I want to thank you very much for the opportunity you have to visit me here. It couldn’t have come at a better time because it’s something that we have been praying for very many years.
‘I’m glad yours will be the last time, God willing, that we will get it formalised and completed. You can rest assured that I will do the best I can to support you on this’, he said.
On the significance of the project, the former head of state said, ‘Niger definitely needs this project because we want an industrialised estate, and the only way we can do it well is when we have facilities like the Baro Port.
‘I will continue to support you and I will continue also to put pressure on all of you, including the president and everybody. Where you slack, we will whip you a little bit’.
The Chairman of the Committee, Saidu Abdullahi, said the visit was to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the port, the rail corridor, and the access roads, with a view to addressing challenges and exploring opportunities to make the facility operational.
The Baro Inland Port, commissioned in 2019 amid high expectations, was envisioned as a major logistics hub for Nigeria’s inland waterways and rail network.
