The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo, on Monday in Lagos pledged to continue to apply all allocated resources and invest in the training of officers for optimal performance.
Gambo made the declaration at the opening of a two-day Third Nigerian Navy Warrant Officers’ Convention.
The convention has: “Optimising Nigerian Navy Operations through Effective Warrant Officers’ Leadership’’, as its theme.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had pledged his total support to the Armed Forces in their current campaign to restore the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
“Mr President and his administration have continued to provide the wherewithal to enhance our work and welfare in the face of dwindling resources and ever increasing challenges.
“I shall continue to judiciously apply all allocated resources as evidenced by the on-going acquisition of unprecedented number of boats and renovation and construction of barracks across the various Nigerian Navy establishments.
“Also, vehicles have been bought to reduce the burden of public transportation that hitherto tended to diminish personnel productivity and morale,’’ Gambo said.
He also reiterated his commitment to investing in quality training and education as well as the motivation and welfare of personnel at all levels.
He added that the maiden edition of the Warrant Officers’ Convention which held in 2016 gave rise to interesting recommendations that were already being implemented.
“The feedback from the implementation spurred me to sustain the hosting of the Warrant Officers’ Convention, which has become a yearly feature on the Nigerian Navy’s schedule of events.
“The Service has imbibed the realities of our national imperatives and has applied the most optimal policies and strategies in the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity.
“The Nigerian Navy has equally tackled maritime challenges in our Exclusive Economic Zone up to the Gulf of Guinea,’’ the Navy boss said.
According to Gambo, the Navy has sufficiently reduced illegalities such as crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, piracy, kidnapping, smuggling, militancy and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“It is equally gratifying that we have continued to give a very good account of ourselves in support of other services in the on-going counter-insurgency operations, especially in the Northeast.
“It is imperative to emphasise that the operational and administrative goals of the Nigerian Navy cannot be attained without a well-disciplined, knowledgeable and highly resourceful class.
“No doubt, Warrant Officers are key players in the lower level of the Nigerian Navy command structure and custodians of unit regimentation,’’ Gambo said. (NAN)
