By Nkechi Eze
The push for the long-awaited operationalization of the Baro Inland Port in Niger State received fresh momentum as the Chairman of the House Adhoc Committee on Baro Inland Port, Rt. Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, sought the cooperation of the Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum to create nationwide awareness on the strategic importance of the project.
Speaking during an advocacy visit to the Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa, in Abuja, Hon. Abdullahi said the media has a vital role to play in public sensitisation, advocacy, and awareness creation regarding the economic benefits of the inland port to Nigeria’s development. He stressed that the Committee was set up by the 10th National Assembly in recognition of Baro Port’s potential as a catalyst for national and regional economic growth through trade facilitation, agricultural value-chain expansion, and massive job creation.
Hon. Abdullahi explained that the port, if made fully operational, would ease the movement of goods between the North and South through water transportation, thereby reducing pressure on the country’s dilapidated road infrastructure. “Baro Inland Port is a strategic economic artery whose full activation will not only decongest our roads but also drive agricultural and industrial competitiveness across the country,” he said.
In his remarks, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa, Chairman of the Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum, commended the 10th Assembly for its renewed commitment to reviving the port, describing it as a critical national asset that has suffered years of neglect despite huge investments. He recalled that the Baro Inland Port project dates back to the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) era in the 1990s and had been commissioned several times in the past, including by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, but has remained dormant without contributing to the nation’s economy.
“Time has come for the Baro Inland Port to come onstream, especially given the poor state of our roads and the urgent need to diversify our transportation system to meet the projected economic growth promised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Yelwa stated. He called on lawmakers, especially from Northern Nigeria, to rally behind the project and ensure its actualization.
He pledged the Forum’s total support to the Committee, particularly during the forthcoming National Stakeholders Engagement on Baro Inland Port, assuring that the media would help amplify public awareness and sustain advocacy until the port is fully functional.
The Baro Inland Port, located on the banks of the River Niger in Niger State, was envisioned to serve as a key hub in Nigeria’s intermodal transport system, facilitating the movement of goods from the Northern hinterlands to Southern ports and beyond. Despite billions of naira spent on its construction and repeated government promises, the facility has yet to commence operations, leaving stakeholders frustrated. The renewed collaboration between the National Assembly and media practitioners signals a fresh effort to break the cycle of abandonment and deliver the port for economic use.
