The Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS) , Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to appropriately approve the budget estimate of the Nigerian Navy before it.
Ete-Ibas, made this statement when members of House of Representatives Committee on Navy led by its Chairman, AbdulSamad Dasuki while on oversight assignment at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja.
The CNS, however, urged them to look into the budget of the Nigerian Navy (NN), from patriotic point of view and appropriately approve same for the service to enable it tackle security threats in the nation’s maritime domain effectively.
Ete-Ibas, said the service had achieved alot in tbe disharge of its professional responsibilities, especially in area of safeguarding the maritime domain.
“We always ready to rise up to any challenge arising from the nation’s maritme domain and other threats within the country, adding that its capacity was hinged on adequate funding.
He noted that the last time the Navy and House Committee on Navy met was about a year ago, saying regular meetings between the duo could not only enhance the relationship, but also enhance understanding needed to effectively tackle maritime challenges.
“You will recall that the Nigerian Navy has presented its budget defence and I am glad to state here that in that one year, the Navy has been able to discharge itself credibly well with the limited resources at its disposal.
“I am also glad to acknowledge the support that the Nigerian Navy has gotten from your committee and the NASS as a whole which has resulted in the tremendous improvements in the resources available to the service,” he said.
The CNS added that the committee had a tour of the various Naval establishments and facilities where they were able to avail themselves of the opportunity to see what the service had done so far.
In his remarks, Dasuki, commended the CNS for the various achievements by the service, as well the extension of his tenure by president Muhammadu Buhari.
Dasuki said the committee members were at the Naval Headquarters as part of their oversight functions, adding that in the past two weeks, they had been touring round naval formations, especially the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, Cross River.
“It might interest you to know that in the course of that oversight function, we saw the welfare of officers and ratings of the NN in good manner, as well as their accommodation.
“We equally saw some other ongoing projects in the same command and at the same time, we were in the Western Naval Command where we saw the ongoing construction of jetties,” he said.
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