Onitsha Port dormant after concession as PMB opens new Baro Port tomorrow
Six months after the former Acting Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Danladi Ibrahim, disclosed that the Onitsha river port in Anambra State has been concessioned to two companies and that the port may commence operations before the end of 2018, the facility has remained moribund.
Though the Ibrahim had declined to disclose the names of the concessionaire for Onitsha River Port project because the award letters are yet to be issued to the operators of the facility, the NIWA boss noted that the concession agreement will last for a period of 25 years.
However checks at the Port earlier this week showed stagnation and lifelessness.
Industry analysts in the commercial city of Onitsha told Business Hilights South East Bureau chief that the over five years delay in concessioning the port remained the most undoing of South East business community by the current administration as importers in the zone are forced to use Lagos ports upon their consignments suffer losses enroute to Onitsha on a daily basis.
However, string indication has emerged revealing that President Muhammadu Buhari will on tomorrow, Saturday, January 19, inaugurate the new Baro River Port in Niger, which has just been completed by the Federal Government at a cost of N6 billion.
General Manager in charge of Corporate Affairs, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr Tayo Fadile, explained in Lokoja on Thursday that the port was built by CGCC Global Project Nigeria Ltd.
According to him, the new port is fitted with a Mobile Harbour Crane, Transit shed and an Administrative block. “It is also equipped with facilities such as water hydrant system, water treatment plant, reach stacker, 100KVA power generating set and three forklifts of various tonnages, among others.
“Baro Port is one of the river ports being built by the Federal Government to support the dredging of the Lower River Niger project. “The Baro river port is expected to create at least 2,000 direct jobs and hundreds of thousands indirect jobs. “It will help keep off the road several heavy duty trailers and trucks, thereby extending the life span of our roads,’’ Fadile said in a statement. He said that NIWA had started upgrading the road network linking the port. (NAN)
Business Hilights recalls that the new Managing Director of NIWA, Sen. Olorumnimbe Mamora, had revealed that the Baro River Port Cargo handling equipment installation has been completed even before the end of last year.
Mamora, who expressed happiness on what he saw while the contractors were fixing the last equipment, assured that the project will be ready for inauguration soon.
He said Baro River Port, which is the flagship port in the northern part of the country, will be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I am satisfied with the quality of work done and in a week time the port will be inaugurated for operations. “I wish to thank the host community for their patriotic zeal and the security the accorded the contractor while doing the work and also wish they extend the same security to the workers when the port comes on stream. “The port apart from boosting the economy of the community will bolster the economy of the state and the country”, NIWA boss averred.
The Baro River port was awarded in 2011 at a cost of N2.563 billion to Messrs CGGC Global Projects Limited.
