From John Adams, Minna
Former Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has accused the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi of frustrating the formal taking off of the Baro Inland Port in Niger State.
The N5.8billion contract for the Baro Inland Port was awarded by former President Goodluck in 2012 and was purportedly commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
President Buhari, during the inauguration of the port, expressed personal attachment to the project, disclosing the role he played in the design of its complex during his time as chairman of the defunct Petroleum Special Task Force (PTF). Three years after the commissioning, the port is yet to take off. Vatsa who is now the coordinator to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello on Public Affairs, believes that the delayed take-off of the port was the handiwork of the Minister of Transport whom he accused of frustrating every effort at realising the objective of the project.
According to Vatsa, the recent submission by the minister is a clear indication that “the minister did not believe in the project and therefore will not allow it to see the light of the day.”
It will be recalled that Amaechi had in a recent interview said that operationalisation of Baro Inland Port and others was not realisable
