In a startling revelation, Lumati Festus, the manager of the Calabar Port, has disclosed that the port has languished in obscurity, devoid of any container vessels for the past quarter-century.
Mr. Festus made this astonishing declaration during an investigative visit to the port by the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Ports and Harbours in Calabar on Friday, according to NAN.
Highlighting the dire situation, Mr. Festus pointed out that the Calabar channel has remained largely untouched by dredging efforts, rendering it unsuitable for accommodating larger vessels. He said that the absence of dredging has severely hampered the port’s capacity to attract significant maritime traffic, thus stunting economic growth in the region.
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Mr Festus said, “Bigger vessels can’t come in because of this. The situation is affecting the economy of the zone. If more vessels come into the port, the economy will receive a boost, more employment will be created.”
Moreover, Mr. Festus disclosed the deplorable condition of the road leading to Calabar, citing it as yet another impediment to the port’s functionality. He described the access road as a “complete nightmare for cargo owners,” citing prolonged transit times and navigational risks associated with low tides.
“The access road into Calabar is a complete nightmare for cargo owners. A cargo bearing truck from Calabar to Akwa Ibom now takes between four and five hours. To remain afloat, we had to develop a technique: we ask vessels to come in only when the tides are high because any vessel that comes when the tide is low runs the risk of going under,” he said.
Addressing the urgent need for intervention, Mr. Festus implored the federal government to take decisive action in addressing the port’s challenges. He emphasized the potential economic benefits of revitalizing the Calabar Port, urging for immediate dredging efforts to deepen the channel and accommodate larger vessels.
”The draft of the Calabar channel is about 5.2 meters which is quite shallow, it needs to be dredged to about nine metres to enable the vessels come in.”
Despite the port’s dismal state, Mr. Festus highlighted efforts undertaken during his tenure to increase vessel traffic. He revealed that through proactive engagement with industry stakeholders, the port managed to augment its monthly vessel count from a mere four to six to an impressive 20 to 21.
”When we assumed duty, the port only received about four to six vessels monthly, but we increased this number to about 20 to 21 vessels monthly.
”We achieved this by going out to different stakeholders in the industry to get them to use the port,” he said.
In response to these pressing concerns, Nnaji Nnolim, the leader of the House of Representatives delegation, acknowledged the need to rehabilitate the Calabar Port and dredging its channels. Mr. Nnolim pledged government support for a forthcoming program aimed at port rehabilitation, assuring that the Calabar Port would be a priority beneficiary.
Echoing Mr. Nnolim’s sentiments, Deputy Governor Peter Ode noted the strategic significance of the Calabar Port but pointed out that it is only serving as an essential evacuation corridor for the Gulf of Guinea. He underscored the potential for job creation and regional economic development through the port’s revitalization, emphasizing its critical role not only for Nigeria but for West Africa as a whole.
This revelation comes amid calls for the federal government to dismantle Lagos’ port monopoly, by dredging other ports in the country and equipping them to function.