…as Lawmakers fume over billions spent on idle port, demand accountability and full disclosure
By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the multi-billion-naira Baro Inland Port project has issued a stern summons to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, over what lawmakers described as glaring anomalies and wasted public funds tied to the abandoned project.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Saidu Abdullahi, who led a heated session on Tuesday at the National Assembly, described the situation as a national scandal and insisted that key officials must appear before the panel to account for the funds expended.
“We are not here to fight anybody. But let’s stop playing games — somebody must take responsibility for what is clearly a scandal,” Abdullahi declared. “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.”
He further directed NIWA and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to, within seven days, submit complete documentation on the project — including contracts, payment records, inspection reports, photographs, and any official communication that proves the port was ever functional.
“We need everything — full contract files, evaluation reports, evidence of what was done and what was not done. We want the financial breakdown,” Abdullahi demanded, stressing that the committee is determined to uncover the truth behind the non-operational status of a port supposedly completed and commissioned.
Lawmakers expressed outrage over conflicting accounts of the port’s status, noting that despite being inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, there is no evidence of cargo movement or road access to the facility.
“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,” Abdullahi warned. “We have a responsibility to the Nigerian people to ensure that this kind of waste does not continue unchecked.”
The committee dismissed claims of political targeting, asserting that the investigation is rooted in accountability and public interest.
“This is not about witch-hunt. It’s about accountability. The people deserve to know what happened to their money,” one lawmaker added.
Defending NIWA’s role, the General Manager of Ports and Environmental Services, Engr. Agbahe Fidelis, who spoke on behalf of the NIWA Managing Director, admitted that the port remains idle due to a mix of access challenges, waterway siltation, vandalized railway infrastructure, and insecurity — despite its physical completion.
However, the committee was unimpressed, noting that the continued non-use of the facility negates its core purpose — to decongest the nation’s overburdened seaports and promote inland water transportation.
The committee resolved to conduct a follow-up visit to the Baro Inland Port for an independent assessment of its condition and viability. It also warned that agencies like the Federal Ministry of Works and the Nigeria Railway Corporation, which failed to appear at the session, must be present at the next hearing.
The lawmakers reiterated that billions have been sunk into the project without commensurate value, a reality they described as both “unacceptable and indefensible.”
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