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, to appear before it over the stalled multi-billion-naira inland port project.
Also summoned is the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, as lawmakers seek clarification on the status of the long-abandoned project.
At a tense session held Tuesday at the National Assembly, the committee chairman, Hon. Saidu Abdullahi, described the situation as a national embarrassment and demanded accountability from relevant officials.
“We are not here to witch-hunt anyone, but someone must be held responsible for what is clearly a scandal,” Abdullahi said. “The Managing Director and the Minister must appear before this committee. We have been mandated to investigate this, and we will carry out that mandate thoroughly.”
He gave both NIWA and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy a seven-day deadline to provide full documentation on the project — including contract files, payment receipts, inspection and evaluation reports, photographs, and any official evidence proving the port’s operational status at any point.
“We want a complete financial breakdown and proof of what has been done or not done. Nigerians deserve to know,” Abdullahi emphasized.
Lawmakers voiced frustration over conflicting reports about the port, which was inaugurated in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Despite the commissioning, there has been no evidence of cargo activity or accessible road infrastructure leading to the facility.
“This is unacceptable. A project that has consumed billions of naira cannot be left to rot,” Abdullahi warned. “We owe it to the Nigerian people to put a stop to this kind of reckless waste.”
The committee firmly rejected any insinuation of political bias, insisting the probe is strictly in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
“This isn’t a witch-hunt,” one lawmaker stated. “It’s about uncovering the truth and ensuring public funds are used responsibly.”
Appearing on behalf of NIWA’s managing director, Agbahe Fidelis, the agency’s General Manager of Environmental Services, cited several challenges responsible for the port’s non-operational status. These include poor access roads, silted waterways, vandalized rail lines, insufficient dredging, and prevailing security issues.
Despite being commissioned over five years ago, the Baro Inland Port remains inactive, with no concrete steps yet taken to make it functional.
