The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, has vowed to prioritize the welfare of the Nigerian Navy personnel adding that his administration will reward personnel with high integrity.
Gambo made the remarks during a familiarization visit and project inspection in Calabar on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
According to him, the divisional system continues to be the pivot in which the Nigerian Navy’s welfare system revolves; officers must therefore do more to bring the divisional system’s tenets into effect for the good of the staff.
“I am aware of the enormous transportation challenge, especially in the area of liberty buses and ferries.
“Before I took command of the Nigerian Navy, a large pool of buses and ambulances had been procured and were awaiting delivery.
“It is hoped that the transportation issue will be resolved soon, as more trucks and buses are planned as part of the Federal Government’s intervention,” Gambo said.
He also noted that finding accommodation for the staff had been difficult.
Despite the previous administration’s efforts to provide adequate housing for personnel, he stated that more than half of the personnel, especially in Calabar, were still without adequate housing.
He emphasized on the enormous financial costs of construction and the significant budgetary resources needed to address the problem.
“The new policy on accommodation should be seriously regarded as a panacea for a means of funding for accommodation in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
Gambo also took the opportunity to remind the officers of their roles and obligations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining professionalism and dignity.
He threatened that if someone was found lacking, he would not hesitate to fire them without warning.
He said the Nigerian Navy will develop policies and procedures to punish staff who collaborate with economic saboteurs, drug smugglers, pirates, or armed robbers.
Personnel with high integrity and qualities that represented the service in a favourable light would be rewarded handsomely, the CNS stated.
”In the field of maintenance and repairs of Nigerian navy vehicles, I have noticed an apparent lackadaisical attitude among officers and ratings in the Nigerian Navy’s engineering division.
“The Nigerian Navy engineering branch requires a new burst of energy, and I will ensure that our engineering personnel receive the necessary training to allow them to maintain all naval platforms, including the new ones expected,” he said.
The Navy Reference Hospital in Calabar was one of the navy facilities visited by CNS in the state.
He stated that the hospital will continue to evolve in order to become a world-class medical facility.
