The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko has assured of the authority expressed readiness to give tariff reliefs to importers for them to patronise Calabar Port.
Bello-Koko disclosed this at the weekend during his visit to the palace of the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, while on a maiden visit to the Calabar Port, Cross River State.
According to him, importers patronising other neighboring ports due to the challenges faced by the Calabar Port must be brought back, even as he disclosed that Calabar Port has come back to life as a vessel berthed at Ecomarine terminal where it discharged over 200 trucks and equipment.
He stated that a pilot cutter was commissioned even as he said tug boats and other marine equipment that were hitherto absent in the port will soon arrive at the port.
He argued that his mandate is to ensure that the Calabar Port is dredged saying draft limitation has made the port inefficient.
“We are ready to give tariff reliefs to ensure that porters bring in more cargoes into Calabar Port because the more cargoes we have in Calabar, Delta and Warri Port, the less congestion in other ports and more economic activities at the Calabar Port.
Responding, the Obong said that the waterways had been their highway, expressway and their forefathers had been taking care of it.
