ANLCA calls for probe of past dredging contracts of Calabar port

Segun Oladipupo

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Tuesday called for probe of all past and present contractors handling the failed dredging of Calabar port in Cross River state.

The National President of the association, Tony Iju Nwabunike made the call in Lagos during interactive session with journalists.

He maintained that the two seaports in Lagos have been overstretched hence the need to revamp the eastern ports and put them to optimum use.

Speaking further, he described Calabar seaport as critical to the nation’s economy, with routes linking Ebonyi, Benue states respectively, down to all the northern states of the country.

In view of making the port viable, he said ANLCA had commenced moves to engage the Federal government through the office of Secretary to Government of Federation to ensure that the eastern ports are made operational and competitive.

The ANLCA helmsman urged contractors handling dredging of Calabar port to expedite actions on completion of the project adding that the peculiarities of the Cross Rivers State-based port has proximity by road to the hinterland and landlocked countries in the sub region.

He said, “We thank the government for its interest in getting Calabar port work at optimal capacity and advise that the contractors given the dredging work be directed to commence operation.

“This dredging will go a long way to make the port accommodate ships and reduce the pressure on some of the presently used ports in the country.

“We have a lot to discuss with the federal government and one of such is the total modernisation of our ports. If you look at our ports today you cannot compare it with the port of Tema (Ghana) because there is so much negative things to talk about the ports.

“The ports are overstretched and we are supporting the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to divert some cargoes to other ports in the country because Lagos ports are no longer what they used to be and the alternative ports should be other areas like Calabar and others.

“We mentioned specifically who is dredging the Calabar port for almost six to seven years now. There is this contract for the dredging of Calabar seaport for years and nobody knows about them to engage them on the delay.

Why are they not facilitating the job on time and what is the actual problem. So the issue is very clear that we need to know the company handling the Calabar port dredging contract and let it be dredged immediately.

Nwabunike called on the Management of the NPA to consider the position of the ANLCA towards revamping the Calabar port for optimal utilisation, pointing out that the association would work harmoniously to support government for the actualisation of the eastern ports like that of Calabar.