By Sharon Akuboh
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River has implored the Federal Government to ensure speedy dredging of the Calabar Channel to guarantee optimum utilization of the ultra-modern Calabar Sea Port.
Senator Otu made the call when he hosted top management team of the Calabar Port led by the Port Manager, Mr Festus Olumati in Government House, Calabar.
He noted that apart from enhancing maritime trading activities around the axis, the dredging will accelerate investment and tourism traffic into the state thereby boosting the current internal revenue generation index.
According to the Governor “It is important that the encumbrances hindering the dredging work be settled out of court for us to have a more active Port”.
“If it is in terms of offering concessions to cargo and ship owners, we will ensure that such is granted. We are fully
aware of the enormous economic potentials of the Port and we will do our best to make it work to improve our economy through the generation of desired revenue for the country”, Governor Otu assured.
He urged the Calabar Port Management to leverage on the existing synergy between the state government and security agencies especially the Navy in attracting traffic to the Port.
Adding that “We are doing our best in terms of security and I want to assure you that with the collaborative efforts of the Navy and other security agencies in the state coupled with the fact that we are positioning a vessel at the estuary, these would help check piracy and other criminal activities.
He urged the management to step up efforts in aggressively marketing the Calabar Port to Chambers of Commerce and stakeholders in the maritime industry to rejuvenate activities at the Port.
“We have investment across the waterways, so we welcome any investor, importer, or exporter willing to dry dock or engage in other ports development activities capable of boosting economic activities around the area” Otu posited.
Earlier in his remarks, the Port Manager, Mr Festus Olumati intimated the Governor that the assertive marketing option adopted by his team has been yielding positive results as seen in the increased number of cargo berthing.
“Before my taking over the Port, we were receiving four vessels monthly, but today, through our aggressive marketing efforts, we now receive at least 16 vessels in a month.
Olumati informed the governor, that in six years, the Calabar Port has received 34,000 metric tonnes of vessels with a total cargo tonnage of 42 metric tonnes.
“These have translated into an increase in both revenue generation and cargo activities in the ports, thereby generating employment opportunities” Olumati declared.