Akpan Umoh, Uyo
The House of Representatives Committee on the Nigerian Navy has assured the Naval Command of a better allocation for more infrastructure development and to enable NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi to move to its permanent site.
Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, stated this while speaking with newsmen after the facilities tour of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka and NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi.
Gagdi said the committee was quite satisfied with the infrastructure development of the Eastern Naval Command, especially NNS Jubilee Ikot Abasi and FOB Ibaka all in Akwa Ibom.
“To talk about the achievements of the Nigerian Navy under all the places we have visited, particularly the NNS Victory, NNS Jubilee, FOB Ibaka in the Eastern Naval Command to say they have performed, we are being fair to them. They are doing well.
“We have to make sure that, we that have the statutory mandate of allocating funds to the Nigerian Navy do the needful, by making sure that resources are allocated to some of these Forward Operating Base,” Gagdi said.
The committee chairman commended the Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee for its efforts in reducing maritime crimes within its area of responsibility.
“If you look at the level of the arrest made in terms of arresting smugglers, in terms of reducing maritime crimes and looking at flashpoints, areas where their platforms are not able to cover and what are the alternatives solutions provided to close those caps, we give it to them.
“This committee is very happy with Eastern Naval Command, and we will continue to do our best by making sure in terms of discharging our constitutional functions by allocating funds to them,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the house representatives committee on the navy led by the chairman toured facilities in FOB Ibaka, NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi and Nigerian Navy Military School Ikot Ntuen all in Akwa.