Naval Chief Urges Officers, Ratings to Give Priority to Professionalism, Loyalty

By Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo

As Nigeria continues to grapple with several security challenges, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has said that officers and ratings must at all times give priority to professionalism and loyalty in the discharge of their duties.

He gave the charge at the inauguration of multiple intervention projects executed by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) at the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College, Owerrinta in Abia State.

The projects include fully furnished 60-room male and 24-room female hostels, administrative complex, auditorium, kitchen and dining, gymnasium and swimming pool as well as a 300KVA transformer donated for the college.

The Naval Chief explained that training is so important in keeping officers and ratings in top shape hence it constitutes the best form of welfare in the military, adding that he would continue to accord top priority to training in order to raise the bar of performance in the Navy.

He assured the officers that under his watch, the Nigerian Navy would sustain its support for the college, including the provision of logistics for its training programmes and activities.

Gambo expressed profound gratitude to the CBN for the “monumental intervention projects” for the college as well as other support the apex bank had been providing for the Nigerian Navy in general.

“This infrastructure development by the CBN has not only enhanced the aesthetic outlook of the college, but also significantly improved the learning and working environment for officers and staff,” he said.

In his goodwill message, Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, commended the Nigeria Navy for its indispensable contribution to the maintenance of peace and security not only in its host community but in the entire state.

“I am proud to be your host. I am proud to have you in this environment and the contributions you have made in maintaining law and order in this part of Nigeria is legendary,” he said.

He charged the Nigerian Navy to tailor its training curriculum to be in tune with the demands of the 21st century, especially as it relates to Nigeria which is contending with multiple security challenges, including insurgency.

“Time has come for us to include in our curriculum, aspects of Financial Intelligence. We must begin to see way of looking at movement of funds within and outside Nigeria,” he said.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State in his goodwill message lauded the Nigerian Navy for its robust achievements, noting that it could compete favourably with its counterparts globally.

He also commended the CBN for its social interventions and urged the apex bank to sustain its social interventions in other sectors of the economy.

Earlier in his address, the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Kamarudeen Lawal, stated that the facilities at the college has led to larger number of intakes.

He said that the increase in admission quota had helped to clear the backlog of officers and ratings that were yet to undergo professional training.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, in his keynote speech, said that the facilities were provided to enhance the environment for teaching and learning in the college.

Represented by the Head of Projects, Mrs Amina Oni, the CBN governor underlined the importance of the college in the development and sustenance of the capacity of officers and men of the Nigerian Navy hence the intervention of CBN to enhance the facilities.