Minna – The Niger Government has called on the Federal Government to complete the Baro Inland Port project.
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, who made the call on Tuesday during a visit to the site, said it would boost economic activities in the country.
He said that the state would make the road accessible while awaiting the Federal Government’s intervention.
“The road to the port is very bad; it is extremely bad and I understand the Federal Government have awarded the contract to construct a new road.
“I have directed the state Ministry of Works to grade the road as well as construct culverts pending when the Federal Government will commence the work to make it more motorable,” he said.
Bello said that a committee had been set up to look into the activities in Baro and advise the state on how the Federal Government could hasten action on the realisation of the inland port.
“The shed is completed. The dredging has also been done but needs maintenance. We will reach out to the Federal Government to make the project a reality.
“The project has been on ground for several years and we will see it to its last phase,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Ibrahim Shuaibu, the Technical Officer in Charge of Baro Inland Port, said that the project was 98 per cent completed.
“What is remaining now is the making of a crane. Once this is made, the Baro inland port will be ready for use,” he said.
Malam Abdulgani Aliyu, a resident of Baro, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said youths in the community had remained unemployed.
“If this project is completed, it will create employment opportunities to this unemployed youths and will assist in reducing youth restiveness in the area,” he said.
NAN reports that the Baro port project was stated in 2009 while about N6 billion had been spent on dredging. (NAN)