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By Philip Nwosu
Residents of Ward F2 in Surulere, Lagos, have gained access to improved clean water supply following the commissioning of a Nigerian Navy-funded water project in Aralile, Hogan Bassey and Oyerokun communities.
The project, delivered under the Chief of the Naval Staff Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme, comprises three solar-powered boreholes, three 12,000-litre storage tanks, steel stands and filtration units.
The Nigerian Navy said the intervention was designed to improve sanitation, public health and the quality of life of residents, while strengthening military-civilian relations through targeted community infrastructure projects.
Representing the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, at the commissioning, the Chief of Naval Transformation and Innovation, Rear Admiral Chijioke Onyemaobi, said the project followed a needs assessment conducted to identify critical requirements within the community.
He said the intervention demonstrated the Navy’s commitment to contributing to the socio-economic development of communities within its areas of engagement.
Onyemaobi credited the project facilitator, the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral A.O. Ogunleye, with identifying the need for the water facilities and facilitating the intervention.
He also commended community leaders for their cooperation and support towards the successful completion of the project.
Rear Admiral Ogunleye described the project as both a community responsibility and part of the Nigerian Navy’s contribution to national development and security.
He urged residents to take ownership of the facilities by protecting them from vandalism and ensuring that they were properly maintained to guarantee their long-term sustainability.
The Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Hon. Sulaimon Bamidele Yusuf, welcomed the intervention and commended the Chief of the Naval Staff for approving the project for Ward F2.
Yusuf also acknowledged the contribution of Rear Admiral Ogunleye in facilitating the project, describing the initiative as a model that other institutions could emulate in supporting communities.
The solar-powered design of the water infrastructure is expected to provide residents with a more reliable source of water while reducing challenges associated with dependence on conventional electricity supply.
The facilities are also expected to support improved hygiene and sanitation practices and contribute to better public health outcomes in the benefiting communities.
The intervention further underscores the Nigerian Navy’s use of targeted community development projects to strengthen relations with host communities while contributing to broader national development objectives
