Why Calabar Canal Dredging Is Delayed - NPA MD

Please share this story: The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Kolo, has explained why the dredging of the Calabar Channel to allow the berthing of larger vessels has not been carried out. He spoke on Saturday in Calabar, the capital of Cross River, during his first visit to the port of Calabar to inaugurate a security station and a boat, and also to meet with the port management. Bello-Kolo, who promised the increase in staff salaries given the prevailing economic situation in the country, told reporters: As you know, the contract for the dredging of the Calabar Canal was awarded many years ago but there is a dispute between the Nigerian Ports Authority and the contractor who was awarded this contract. And that inhibited our ability to dredge the channel. What has happened lately is to seek an amicable settlement. So, the Nigerian Ports Authority, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Federal Ministry of Justice, resumed discussions on how to settle out of court. This must be done either to fire the same contractor to continue dredging or to appoint a new direction of the channel to do the dredging of the channel. He added: “This is one of the reasons why we have come here to meet with the terminal operators to reassure them that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure that the problem is resolved as soon as possible. He said that despite the condition of the channel, imports could be routed to the port of Calabar rather than being routed to Lagos. We spoke with the shipping companies and the consignees themselves, adding that the ship that docks with more than 200 trucks and equipment is the product of these efforts. He said he was satisfied with the ISO certification of the ports of Calabar and Onne, adding that other ports would soon be ISO certified. Earlier, Calabar Port Director, Festus Olumati, in his welcome address, announced some achievements, among them the increase in the number of ships received to 72 in the first five months of this year and the expulsion of illegal squatters on over 160 hectares of port land, improved revenue generation to N645. 7m in the same period, among others. He listed the challenges facing the port to include the shallow water channel of Calabar Harbor requiring full dredging, the collapse of the berth at the Shoreline Pier, the abandonment of Delta Queen Rig since 2012, among others.