The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of the Baro Inland Port has summoned the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, over questions surrounding the delayed takeoff of the multi-billion-naira port.
During a sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, the committee’s chairman, Saidu Abdullahi, demanded that NIWA submit comprehensive documentation within seven days.
These documents are expected to cover the entire planning, construction, handover process, and current operational status of the port—initially built to reduce pressure on Nigeria’s seaports and boost inland waterway transport.
“We need everything, the full contract files, evaluation reports, evidence of what was done and what was not done,” Abdullahi declared.
“We are asking for all relevant documents as far as the Baro Port is concerned. We are not here to fight anybody. This committee is very serious about its job.”
Abdullahi stressed that the summons to the minister and NIWA MD was necessary to clarify discrepancies and establish accountability.
“The Managing Director and the Minister are summoned to appear. The matter has been referred to this committee, and we are going to do our work thoroughly. We want to know how much was paid to the contractor. We want the financial breakdown. Let’s stop playing games. Somebody must take responsibility for what is a scandal,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed concern that although the port was reportedly completed and commissioned, it remains non-functional, with no cargo activity or access routes.
“This is a very serious matter. We cannot allow a project that has gulped several billions of naira to go to waste. This House will not accept it. We have a responsibility to the Nigerian people to ensure that this kind of waste does not continue unchecked.”
He reiterated that the investigation was not a witch-hunt but a quest for accountability.
“This is not about a witch-hunt. It’s about accountability. The people deserve to know what happened to their money,” Abdullahi added.
In response, officials from NIWA explained that although the Baro Inland Port was commissioned in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, it has not become operational due to several challenges.
Representing the NIWA MD, Agbahe Fidelis, General Manager of Ports and Environmental Services, cited lack of access roads, silted waterways, vandalized railway infrastructure, and security concerns as major setbacks.
Despite physical completion of the facility, the absence of critical supporting infrastructure has prevented the port from functioning as intended, he said.
To move forward, the committee resolved to visit the Baro port—located in the Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State for an independent, on-the-ground assessment of the project’s current condition.
