The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Marine Transport to investigate the contract for the dredging of the Calabar channel and the Port Harcourt port.
The committee has three weeks to present its report.
The house resolution followed a motion by a member; Kingsley Chinda , which was unanimously adopted without debate when the motion was put to vote by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.
The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Marine Transport to investigate the contract for the dredging of the Calabar channel and the Port Harcourt port.
The committee has three weeks to present its report.
The house resolution followed a motion by a member; Kingsley Chinda , which was unanimously adopted without debate when the motion was put to vote by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.
Moving the motion on “Failed Contract for Dredging of the Calabar channel and Port Harcourt ports,’’ Chinda alleged that poor quality work was done in respect of the dredging of the Calabar channel in Cross River.
He also alleged non-dredging and scooping of the Port Harcourt wharf.
The lawmaker said that some time in 2006 the Federal Government through its Ministry of Transport awarded a contract for the dredging of the Calabar channel to two firms, Jan De Nul and, Van Oord at the cost of 57 million Euros.
He explained that each of the firms did mobilise to site, and started dredging, “but left the site in 2007, claiming to have attained removal of the agreed 25 million cubic metres of sand’’.
Chinda said that when notice was given to the two firms to go back to site and complete the work, they claimed that they had completed their work according to specification.
He expressed worry that due to the haphazard and poor quality of work done at the Calabar channel, the dredged sand silted back into the sea and presently looks as if no work was done.
He said that the silting back into sea was likely to have unfavourable effect on the site, and further endanger the lives of Nigerians, especially the residents of the area.
The lawmaker said that disaster could occur in the site, except proper work was done urgently.
He consequently urged the relevant committee of the House to investigate the matter.
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