3rd March, 2020
The House of Representatives Committee on Navy on Tuesday visited the Western Naval Command in Lagos as part of its oversight function during which it pledged its support.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the committee members’ first point of visitation was the Navy Ordinance Depot, Special Boat Service and Joint Maritime Security Centre.
They visited the Underwater WarFare School, Nigeria Reference Hospital, the newly commissioned apartments for personnel, stadium, Nigeria Navy Secondary School and Naval Air Base within the Ojo barracks.
They also visited NNS ships in BEECROFT, Naval Base BEECROFT, Naval Training Command, the Naval Dockyard Limited, Naval Doctrine and Assessment Center as well as Forward Operating bases in Igbokoda and Badagry, respectively.
Yusuf Gadgi, Chairman of the Committee, after the visit, said that he was impressed with the achievements of the Command.
“The Nigeria Navy within the jurisdiction of the Western Naval Command have done unprecedentedly well and we commend them.
“Perhaps, as Committee, we have our own reservations but to see military institution establishing projects according to standard and according to specification; to see military institution looking at the welfare of their personnel both junior and senior officers, to see it doing the best; and to add to the morale of their engagement, I think we must commend them and aside from those physical things, personally in the areas of operations, ” he said.
Gadgi also commended the Western Naval Command in the areas of training its personnel and partnering with foreign navies.
“The Western Naval Command is doing well in terms of partnering in so many international and domestic operations, they have done well and we commend them.
“Any institution that doesn’t have the capacity to sustain its manpower development, I don’t think it’s worthy of being an institution,” he said.
The Chairman also said that the committee would ensure that special consideration was given to the Navy in terms of having access to fund.
Rear Adm. Oladele Daji, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, said that he believed that the visit would give the lawmakers an insight to areas that needed intervention.
“Oversight visits such as this, I believe, are designed to further strengthen institution processes and procedures, so that where things are not done properly, they can be corrected.
“I am, therefore, confident that this visit will further give you a better understanding of the working of the navy as far as the WNC is concerned in order to know the areas of possible intervention,” he said.