The entire length of the channel was divided between the two firms. The sum of N20.44bn was given to them for the job. Ten years later, in 2006, the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo re-awarded the contract to the same firms to dredge the 84km channel. Both firms did the job half way and left amidst a cloud of controversy. The contract was re-awarded to two Dutch firms –Van Oord and Jan de Nul at the cost of N3bn. The first contract for the dredging of the Calabar Port channel was awarded in 1996 during the administration of the late General Sani Abacha to a Chinese company that showed up for a while and simply vanished. Experts have said that dredging must be done to at least 9.4 metres. He decried the current situation where Nigeria depends on importation for its survival, stating that this would not continue if he succeeds Buhari in 2023.ĭredging has been the most critical challenge of the Calabar Port, as it was shallow with a depth of 5.2 metres at low tide. This, according to him, would make it possible for Nigerians to earn more revenue from exports. Tinubu said that the dredging of Calabar Port would make the port more functional and open up economic activities for Nigeria. He said this while making his acceptance speech shortly after he was elected as the flag bearer of the APC for the 2023 general election. Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has vowed to dredge the Calabar Port if elected as Nigeria’s President in 2023. Rising sea levels, more frequent powerful storms, plastic pollution and much more has threatened the health of oceans. The year 2020 marked the oceans’ hottest year on record, and warmer waters have created multiple consequences, from changing colors, to endangered marine organisms like corals.
The oceans hold about 321 million cubic miles or 1.34 billion cubic kilometers of water, which is roughly 97 percent of Earth’s water supply.Besides being a sight to behold, the oceans also breathe life into the planet as they produce at least 50 percent of the earth’s oxygen.The occasion also hopes to develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.Īs we celebrate the ever-giving oceans of our planet let us take a look at some of the facts that make it fascinating: The objective of World Oceans Day, according to the UN, is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean.
The United Nations (UN) designated World Oceans Day on June 8 to remind all of us how the massive water bodies play a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem of the planet. Covering over 70 percent of Earth, oceans are one of the most essential components of our planet.