FG Commissions Baro Inland Water Port in August

By Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The federal government is set to commission the Baro Inland Water Port located at Baro, Agaie Local Government, Niger South in Niger State.

The Acting Managing Director, Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Alhaji Danladi Ibrahim, disclosed that the Baro Inland Water Port has been completed and ready for commissioning in August.

Ibrahim, while briefing the press on Thursday in Abuja, said that all cargo equipment needed for the Baro port to commence operation are being installed and the concession of the Onitsha port will also be concluded.

According to him, “Baro port has been completed, the cargo handling equipment is being installed right now. It has been supplied and by next month, the port will be ready for commissioning while the concession of the Onitsha port will also be concluded.

“Any moment from now, the concessionaire will take over the Onitsha port. The Baro port is being on for more than three years now and when completed, it will create close to 200 million jobs.”

He said: “Because that is the anchor of North-west, North-central transportation and the port is linked to railway where cargo can be moved.

“Onitsha port will serve the South-east Nigeria, in fact Onitsha port will be the most viable port, over 60 per cent of cargo in Nigeria goes to Onitsha, so it is going to be a very busy port.”

Ibrahim, however, said that the Onitsha port is being concessioned based on government policy, adding that the private sector should be the operator while government will provide the infrastructure.