President Bola Tinubu has been reminded of his campaign promises to the people of Cross River State to dredge the Calabar Port and facilitate the berthing of big vessels to boost activities in the facility

The paramount ruler and Muri Munene of Efut, Maurice Okon Eyo 1, speaking, yesterday, with newsmen in Calabar, recalled that Tinubu, while presenting his Renewed Hope agenda during his campaign in Calabar, promised the state the dredging of the Calabar Channel and Port when voted into office to boost the state’s economy.

The monarch noted that the state kept faith with not only the election of the President but the entire APC candidates in the state in the last general election, saying it is now the turn of the President to reciprocate the gesture by keeping to his promise.

He said now that the Federal Government has put in place modalities and committees for the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue, the President should also fulfill his promise concerning Cross River.

He said: “Though several attempts had, in the past, been made to dredge the Calabar Channel leading up to the port but nothing concrete was done.

“There is no proper access to Calabar Port and people doing flour, cement and other relevant businesses need access from seaside and hinterland. People here are just starving amid plenty.”

The monarch, who is also the grand patriarch of the Efuts, noted that companies in the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ), the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort and others are suffering and may not break even if business activities remain low.

“So, we are appealing to the President to facilitate the dredging of the port because we must use it to feed ourselves. The dredging will even relieve Akwa Ibom State, the Chad, Cameroon and other northern states,” he said.

The royal father praised Governor Bassey Otu for putting in place a conducive business atmosphere for foreign and local businessmen to thrive.