Nigeria’s new Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo has revealed his plans for the Nigerian Navy (NN).
He said; “My vision is to leverage on all factors of national location, technology, training, teamwork and synergy to re-energise the Nigerian Navy and enhance her as a well-motivated and ready naval force in the discharge of her Constitutional mandate and other assigned tasks in fulfillment of national security objectives.”
“To achieve this vision, my administration will focus on some key drivers. The current administration will ensure personnel welfare is accorded high priority towards enhanced patriotism, integrity, productivity, innovation, commitment and dedication. We will also focus on human capacity development through result-oriented training for enhanced professionalism and as well strengthening logistics support and maintenance capabilities to sustain equipment serviceability and platform availability.”
“We will reinforce the culture of self-sufficiency through sustained investment in R&D and prudent management of resources, promote inter-Service cooperation and forge strategic partnerships with MDAs, credible maritime stakeholders as well as collaboration engagements with international partners.”
“Furthermore, the Service will promote and sustain the Nigerian Navy core values of Integrity, Professionalism and Teamwork. My mission is ‘to optimise the deployment of the Nigerian Navy in the performance of her Constitutional roles and the undertaking of assigned tasks while promptly responding with commensurate actions to other emerging national security challenges”.
“The overall intention of my administration is to achieve immediate positive transformation in the nation’s security especially in the maritime domain. Hence, all hands must be on deck to achieve that. I have zero tolerance for indiscipline and criminal activities. In this regard, the established policies and measures to sanction identified Nigerian Navy personnel that collude with economic saboteurs, drug traffickers/barons, bandits, kidnappers and armed robbers shall be overhauled and strengthened.”
“Related to this, I quickly want to warn personnel to avoid any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Navy. Such acts will be met with heavy sanctions to act as deterrence to others. On the other hand, Nigerian Navy personnel that exhibit high integrity and positive attributes that portray the NN in good light shall be rewarded handsomely.”
“My administration shall place a premium on human capacity development through higher training and education. Importantly, all ongoing operations in the Nigerian Navy should check piracy, sea robbery, Crude Oil Theft and illegal refining of petroleum products to continue in earnest.”
“The resurging incidents of piracy and sea robbery within Nigerian waters will be curtailed. All operations commanders should sustain aggressive clearance operations to make suspected militants, cults and pirate camps non-conducive for any nefarious activities to thrive.”
“I assure that the Nigerian Navy shall give the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic the seriousness it deserves. All Nigerian Navy personnel should remain safe and adhere to all relevant Nigerian Navy and national protocols. I promise to take issues of personnel welfare seriously. We must understand that the ‘man’ remains the most critical and important factor in military operations.”
