The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the operationalization of the Baro Inland Port says the absence of an access road has rendered the multi-billion naira facility idle. The committee made this known during an oversight visit to the port.
Chairman of the committee, Honourable Saidu Abdullahi, expressed concern that 10 years after the contract for the road was awarded, work is still far from completion.
Officials of the National Inland Waterways Authority say the port is fully equipped and ready for use with facilities including an 84-tonne crane, a restacker, forklifts, and an 84-tonne capacity warehouse.
The Baro Inland Port, when operational, is expected to provide over 2,000 direct jobs and another 2,500 indirect jobs, boosting economic activities in the region.
The committee has promised to liaise with relevant authorities to ensure the speedy completion of the access road, seen as the final obstacle to putting the port into full use.
