The outgoing Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, on Friday said that the Nigerian Navy had achieved a lot in terms of fleet renewal, procurement of vessels and many more during his administration.
Ibas said this at his Pulling Out Parade which held at the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA and NNS BEECROFT, Parade Ground, Apapa, Lagos State.
TheNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rear Adm. Awwal Gambo has been appointed the new Chief Of Naval Staff.
According to Ibas, the Navy had also procurred seawards defence boats, force patrol boats, inshore patrol crafts, ridge haul inflatable boats and riverine patrol boats
“”We were also able to procure helicopters with a lot more, including landing ship tanks, trading ships, survey ships and unmanned area vessels which are on their way to Nigeria for delivery.
“Some achievements were also recorded in the areas of operational and infrastructure delivery and logistics as well as human resource management and administration,” he said.
Ibas said that during his administration, the Navy sustained and expanded maritime domain awareness facilities, and also successfully carried out reconstructional development in some of its facilities.
“These include: the upgrade of the naval shipyard, the reconstruction of the NNS BEECROFT Jetty and the completion of the second Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital at Calabar.
“Also, the construction of a standard stadium in Navy Town, Ojo, as well as extensive infrastructure development for the Admiralty University, Ibiza, Delta State which has led to the licensing of the university.
“The university has formally commenced it’s academic activities and is now in the third year running,” he said.
The former chief of the naval staff said that a great number of personnel accommodation was constructed and renovated, associated facilities refurbished and utilities restored and strengthened across the country.
Ibas also said that the Navy was able to make a commendable breakthrough in research and development, developing compressed earth bricks to deliver quality houses at unbelievable rates.
“Similarly, a grand plan was created for the effective manning of the Nigerian Navy platforms by making bold investments to human capital training to increase it’s control and quality.
“In this regard, the training environment was generally upgraded, training contents were organised and several aids, including computer simulations were inducted.
“The effective maintenance of this asset is in our care with the expansion of repair capacity, numerous docking and major overhauls and acquisition of heightened maintenance skills to manufacturers levels,” he said.
Ibas said that in the last 66 months, the Nigerian Navy had been committed to taking apart the network of criminalities in the maritime domain.
“This include: piracy, sea robbery, illegal bunkering, crude oil theft, operations of illegal refineries, kidnapping, injurious trafficking, environmental abuse and several other infringements and infractions in the maritime domain.
“We have also apprehended a great number of perpetrators, confiscated the equipment of their dishonourable trade, ensured reliable prosecution of crimes and saved the nation incalculable losses,” he said.
Ibas urged officers still in service to rededicate themselves to their task and responsibilities and make exemplary discharge of their service a certainty of their lives.
“I received widespread support from you all and I encourage you to accord more to our new Chief of Naval Staff.
“I appreciate the President and Commander-In-Chief of The Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching support and encouragement to the development of the Nigerian Navy,” he said. (NAN)
