Shippers Demand Probe of Abandoned Calabar Port Dredging
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) in Cross River State has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the N20 billion contract awarded to Calabar Channel Management (CCM) for dredging Calabar Port by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The shippers lamented that the dredging contract has become a conduit pipe through which successive administrations in the country looted funds, adding that every 10 years, the contract is awarded, money paid while contractors disappear from site after collecting money.
The President of Nigerian Shippers Association, Calabar branch, Mr. Mike Ogodo demanded that NPA should come out clear to assure the public that the 2014 dredging award was not a scam experienced in the past.
He said: “We do not believe or expect that Nigeria Ports Authority is going to be positively reacting to our petition if not pressurised by some authorities. Consequently, we are seizing this opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call for the contract file on the latest Calabar Port dredging awarded to Messers Calabar Channel Management for full investigation.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Calabar Channel Management Limited (CCM), Bart Van Eenoo has urged those who lost out in the bid process for the dredging of the Calabar Port which his company won to be honourable in defeat and support his company for the early completion of the project for the benefit of Nigerians.
CCM is the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) comprising a Consortium of companies led by Niger Global Engineering & Technical Company Limited with world number one dredging company-Royal Boskalis and Westminster Dredging that is dredging the Port and is expected to maintain the Calabar navigation Channel.
