Baro ln Agaie Town

BARO, located in Agaie Local Government council of Niger State, has a population of approximately 6, 059 people.

It is located approximately 400 miles (650 km) up the Niger River at the limit of river navigation subject to dredging.

It is also the terminus of a railway branch line connected to the Nigerian railway system.

The Lower River Niger was recently dredged from Warri in Delta State to Baro in Niger State.

Baro town has become a popular town in the country as a result of the dredging of River Niger.

A visit to the Baro indicated that it was a commercial town during the colonial period as it was observed that rail line passes through the community during the period of railway transport system in the country.

Although most of the rail lines are in a dilapidated condition, the siting of a Port at Baro, many have observed, will bring back railway system to the community if actually the Federal Government is committed to water and railway transport system in the country.

It was observed that the road from Girina in Kogi State to Baro is not in good condition likewise from Niger State to Baro Port.

The  Minister of Transport, Honourable Umar Idris, pointing to the immense importance which Baro Port would have on the economy of the state, called on Nigerians to take advantage of the immense economic benefits arising from the dredging of River Niger.

His words, “the opening of the channel has tremendous economic benefits; investors and other business men who want to carry their goods from the northern part of the country through the channel from Baro to Warri are free to do that because the channel is open, although the maintenance dredging is still on.”

He said that the biggest project undertaken in the inland waterways in recent time was the channelisation from Warri in Delta State to Baro, as the dredging was done in five lots.

The minister posited that the first lot was from Warri and it was the bifurcation of Nuns and Forcados Rivers, while the second lot was the bifurcation to Onitsha and the third lot was from Onitsha to Lokoja.

The fifth lot was from Jamata to Baro, adding that the capital dredging of the five lots have been successfully completed.

Some weeks ago, members  of the House Committee on Marine Transport and the management staff of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) visited the Baro Port on a fact-finding mission.

Already, Sunday Tribune gathered that the Baro Port is about 65 per cent completed.

Speaking after the inspection tour of the project, the  Managing Director of NIWA, Alhaji Ahmed Yar’Adua said fund was delaying the completion of the construction of the Inland River Port in Baro.

Addressing the Committee during the on-the-spot assessment of the project, he posited that the contract which was awarded to a Chinese company at the sum of N3,563,449, 248 in December 2009, is expected to be completed in August 2012.

He noted that the sum of N625,987,407.20 is the outstanding payment due to the contractor.

He disclosed further that a sum of N50 million had been spent for the improvement of the 25-kilometer access road from Girinya in Kogi State to Baro which includes clearing, earth works, box culverts and others.

He added that already, the site drainage system and building of staff quarters have been completed, while sheet pile materials have also been delivered to the site.

Other things that have been concluded were construction of port operation building, while the construction of the warehouse is still in progress, the construction of embankment and slope protection works were all completed.

He mentioned to the committee members that lack of access road to the site, multiplicity of rail lines within the site, high siltation of the River Niger around Baro and budgetary constraints were the major problems facing them.

Some community leaders who spoke with newsmen commended the Federal Government and NIWA for the construction of Baro Port.

They also appealed to the Federal Government to pay the outstanding balance to the contractor so that the project can be completed on time.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Marine Transport, Honourable Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, who spoke on behalf of the committee, disclosed to newsmen that the committee was on ground to assess the project, stressing that the committee would still visit other places where dredging is taking place before making their report known to the appropriate quarters.

Baro port Access Road

THE management of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has expressed concern over the poor access road connected to the N4.2billion nearly completed Baro port in Niger State.
Speaking at the flag off of  the safety awareness campaign at Nupeko in Niger State, NIWA’s Managing Director, Hajia Inna Ciroma, said the port is about 95 percent completed, adding that the inability to access the port by road may bring government’s investment to naught.

Ciroma, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Niger State Government House, appealed to governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to intervene by encouraging the Ministry of Transport to list the access road on its agenda.

The NIWA boss noted that without good roads, the port will not be as effective and efficient as planned. She said “My second prayer has to do with the deplorable road networks leading to Baro River port as the port is nearing completion.

“In fact, the Baro River port has literally been completed, but unfortunately, there are no good access road leading to the port. We plead with his Excellency to use his good office to encourage the Honourable Minister of works to list this very important road in the 2014/2015 appropriation because without a good access road to the port, there will be no way the port will be effective and in its operation.

Finally, we have just commissioned the Onitsha River port in Anambra State and Baro port in Niger State is next in line and it will be the very first River port to be completed in northern Nigeria and may end up being the flagship port for the whole of northern  part of Nigeria”.

Baro inland port and its development

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has called on the Federal government to ensure the immediate take off of the Baro in-land port.
Bello, who made the call yesterday after an assessment visit to the port, cautioned that further delay in operating the port maybe counter productive.

“I am impressed by the level of work done on this port,” he said.

“I learnt the dredging of Baro to Lokoja has been completed and the construction work on the port is at almost 98 per cent completion, all we need now is to expedite action and put this critical and strategic in-land port to use.

“We cannot allow further delay in putting this facility into use. The huge investment and the expected returns in dredging River Niger and the construction of the port should be optimally harnessed in face of the present economic realities”, he added.

To fast track the full utilisation of the port, Bello disclosed that his administration had declared Baro town an urban settlement and had put in place a 10 kilometre radius developmental plan for the town.

This, he said, was a deliberate policy of his administration to ensure effective take off of the in-land port.

“This is a big project that will not only open up this region, it will provide massive job opportunities and business ventures for our people and meet our electioneering promise of job creation,” Bello stated.

Earlier, the Technical Officer in charge of the port, Mr. Ibrahim Shuaibu Vulegbo told the governor that the dredging of the waterway from Baro to Lokoja has been completed while the port only requires installation of the cranes and perimeter fencing.