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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has urged the Nigerian Navy to ensure that its investment in the professional development of naval personnel translated into visible advancement in the security and prosperity of the nation’s maritime interests and blue economy.
Governor Fubara gave the charge shortly after inaugurating the new Headquarters, Naval Training Command in Ebubu community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday.
The governor noted that the event completed a development journey that started in April, 2023.
Governor Fubara said that was when his predecessor, graciously ceded the dilapidated structures of the abandoned former Ambassador Nne Krukrubo Model Government Secondary School to the Nigerian Navy for use.
He stated: “Today, we have seen the results of that noble and progressive decision with the comprehensive transformation and upgrading of the facilities as the Nigerian Navy’s new headquarters training command, which was hitherto domiciled in Lagos State.
“This magnificent training command stands as a testament to the commitment of the leadership of the Nigerian Navy to invest in the professional development of our naval personnel with the singular objective of cultivating a highly skilled, proficient and motivated naval force capable of advancing the security and prosperity of the nation’s maritime interests.”
He emphasised that the training command was now a remarkable evidence of the great strides made by President Bola Tinubu in strengthening the combat capabilities of the Nigerian Navy to deal with the expanded spectrum of maritime security threats that we face as a nation.
The governor said Rivers State is a littoral territory with significant deposits of natural resources that was exposed to seaborne security threats, activities of pirates, kidnappers, and pipeline vandals, which impact adversely on the State and national economies, if not effectively tackled.
He announced the donation of N350 million to the Nigerian Navy to support the continuing infrastructure development and operationalisation of the training command in the State.
In his speech, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, lamented that Nigeria loses an estimated 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day to theft, giving the Nigerian Navy a challenge to rise up to its mandate of contributing to the survival of the national economy.
Tajudeen, who was represented by the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, particularly urged the Nigerian Navy to defend and protect the sovereignty of Nigeria’s territorial waters against all forms of threats.
On his part, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, thanked the Rivers State Government for the donation of the entire complex to demonstrate the existing cordial relationship between the Nigerian Navy and Rivers State.
He said the relocation of the Headquarters Naval Training Command from Lagos to Ebubu-Eleme in Rivers State will bolster human capacity development of personnel of the Nigerian Navy.
