By Godfrey Bivbere
SHIPPERS Association of Cross River State has welcomed the planned probe of the Calabar channel dredging contract by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, even as they advise government against cancellation of the contract.

Dredging of waterways around the Old Garage area of Osogbo

Chairman of Shippers Association of Cross River State, Mr. Michael Ogodo, who spoke with Vanguard on the issue, said that the cancellation of the contract would neither be beneficial to port users nor the country. Ogodo noted that probing of the contract was a step in the right direction as it would help to bring to light all anomalies’ in the award and execution of the Calabar dredging contract.

According to Ogodo, “My position which I believe is the same as that of my association is that yes, the government should probe but they should not cancel the contract so as not to go back to ground zero. The government and people of Nigeria deserve to know the value of money spent on the contract. Government should not be in a hurry to cancel it; we want the contract done. Government should probe if the contract is over priced and if it was inflated from the beginning.

“Government should probe if they have to probe but please the contract should not be cancelled and if anything is abnormal, the contractors should be called for re-negotiation. That is our position.”

We will not feel comfortable because they would not cancel the contract today and award it tomorrow. They are likely to cancel in 2017 and re-award in 2020 and even make it an election issue.”