N40bn abandoned Baro River Port project gets Senate’s investigation

The Senate on Tuesday commenced investigation into the abandoned Baro River Port project of the Lower River Niger that was awarded at the cost of N40 billion.

To conduct the probe, the Senate has mandated its committees on Marine Transport; Works, and Public Procurement to investigate the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to carry out the exercise.

Specifically, Senate wants the Federal Government to provide the needed funds to contractors handling project so as to complete the job.

Also, Senate is disturbed that the Federal Government has not transferred the roads project to Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) for better funding.

To further salvage the situation, the Senate is urging the Federal Government to rehabilitate the Narrow Gauge Railway in Baro to ensure rapid socio-economic growth of the country. Also, it says the Rivers Niger and Benue should be dredged by NIWA immediately.

The decision of the Senate followed a motion by Muhammad Bima (APC Niger South) and 22 other senators. The motion is on the “urgent need to complete all the necessary components of Baro River Port project of the Lower River Niger.”

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Leading the debate, Bima disclosed that over N40 billion had already been expended on the project even as work on it was yet to be completed.

The lawmaker averred that “contract for the project was awarded by the Federal Government for the dredging of the Lower River Niger, construction of the Baro Port, installation of cargo handling equipment and connecting access roads to ensure movement of goods and services to the Northern parts of the country in addition to the general improvement of socio-economic activities of the region.”

It was awarded in 2015 and 2018 for Lambata-Bida and Agaie-Katcha-Baro, respectively, said Bima.

However, Bima decried that the two major access roads, Lambata-Agaie and Agaie-Katcha-Baro were only worked to 20 percent and 2 percent progress.

“Baro Port project is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs as well as improving our roads network by keeping heavy duty trailers and trucks off roads, thereby expanding the life span of the roads,” he stated.

“The capital dredging of the Lower River Niger from Warri to Baro had been completed while the Baro Port and its cargo handling equipment have also been completed and commissioned on January 19 by President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

Revealing further, Bima disclosed that N670 million and N4.5 billion had so far been released for the project, out of the contract sum of N17 billion and N33 billion.

Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), in his contribution, concurred that the project was awarded during the administration of late President Musa Yar’Adua to create jobs and ensure easy movement of goods from Baro to other parts of the North.

For Mohammed Musa (APC Niger East), the project is laudable, and urged the Federal Government to ensure early completion of it.

According to Musa, if the project is completed, it will boost the nation’s economy.