Insurgency, Lack of Political Will Delay Take Off of Maiduguri Dry Port

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

The Maiduguri Dry Port which was approved for establishment by the Federal Executive Council in 2007 alongside other dry port projects across the northern part of the country has not commenced work since then neither took off due to boko Haram insurgency threat and lack of political Will from the Borno state government.

The execution of the Maiduguri Dry Port project was also delayed by alleged lack of political will and support from the Borno State government and threat of Boko Haram insurgency, was yet to commence work at the proposed site like other states of the north.

The Director of Corporate Service, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Alhaji Balarabe Umar Sumaila confirmed the delay and lack of take off of the dry land port in a telephone conversation with newsmen in Maiduguri.

He said, "The state government of that time was completely uncooperative to us on the project. The political leadership of the state had wanted to be given the opportunity of contracting the concessionaire, and when that did not happen, it became indifferent to the project.

"They always dodged us whenever the council officials were in Maiduguri to discuss the project; in fact we were playing hide and seek with political leaders.

“We therefore resorted to meeting the Borno elders, including the late Mamman Shuwa and the late Shettima Ali Monguno, to intervene on the matter and appeal to the state’s political leadership to cooperate with us for the

actualization of the project.

“Their pleas seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, because the political leaders would still not cooperate. We were thinking of another option when the Book Haram insurgency struck; and you don’t have to be told that every such thing had to be suspended, because the terrain was not secure for it,” Alhaji Sumaila said

It was gathered that the project has been facing some problems including politics from the state between 2007 and 2009 from the firmer Governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff giving the federal government project less priority leading to the delay for the commencement of the project while similar projects in other parts of the country took off.

The over eight years Boko Haram insurgency also became another problem for the project to take off as it was planned to be sited at a location along the rail line at Bulumkutu area of the Maiduguri metropolis.