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Buhari Reviews 16 Nigerian Navy Warships, Lauds Shipbuilding Efforts
President Muhammadu Buhari has inspected 16 ships belonging to the Nigerian Navy, as well as partnering naval ships from Ghana and Italy onboard the nation’s territorial waters as part of activities to mark the Nigerian Navy 2023 Presidential Fleet Review.
Buhari carried out this review of the Navy assets in Lagos on Monday, even as he commended the shipbuilding efforts of the Service at a grand occasion attended by Naval chiefs of several regional nations as well as some other international counterparts.
According to President Buhari, his administration observed an inextricable link between maritime security and economic prosperity, hence, vigorously engaged in the recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy fleet throughout his tenure.
“We have acquired over 20 capital ships for the Nigerian Navy. These ships comprise; Offshore Patrol Vessels, Landing Ship Transport, Hydrographic Survey Vessels, Seaward Defence Boats and Helicopters as well as over 300 Inshore Patrol Vessels and Assault Craft.”
“During this Fleet Review, I had the honour to commission a new helicopter NN410 manufactured in Italy, NNS KADA, a Landing Ship Transport, built in Sharjah United Arab Emirates and NNS IBENO, donated by the Peoples Republic of China. I deeply appreciate the donation and mutual military cooperation with our ship building partner nations for their support, which has encouraged local ship building by the Nigerian Navy,” Buhari said.
Noting that piracy in country has reduced significantly over the past 7 years culminating to the delisting of Nigeria from the list of piracy prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau in March 2022, Buhari said the feat was attained as a result of enhanced security assets and the application of technology to secure the maritime domain.
“I will particularly commend the diligent arraignment and persecution of MT HEROIC IDUN, sequel to the detection and arrest for attempting to load crude oil, offshore Bonny in August 2022 without authorisation amongst others. This successful conviction further confirms the navy’s resolve to protect resources for economic prosperity,” he said.
Meanwhile, he expressed delight that the Nigerian Navy efforts in indigenous shipbuilding in line with the nation’s local content development plan is yielding positive result.
“Our naval engineers were wholly responsible for building 3 Seaward Defence Boats namely NNS ANDONI, NNS KARADUWA and NNS OJI. In December 2021, I equally performed keel laying foundation for the construction of 2 Seaward Defence Boats, which will be ready by 2024. At this rate, I have no doubt that the Nigerian Navy will soon commence construction of larger ships for itself and other navies in the region and beyond. This achievement is a great pride to Nigeria and an impressive contribution to national development,” Buhari posited.
In his welcome address at the Fleet Review themed: “Fleet Readiness for National Prosperity,” the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, noted that the recapitalisation of the Naval fleet has enhanced the nation’s maritime security framework and repositioned it to effectively combat maritime crimes.
His words: “There is no better evidence to show than the record of drastic decline in piracy incidents in Nigerian waters as contained in the International Maritime Bureau Global Piracy Report of 14 July 2021. This culminated in delisting Nigeria from the International Maritime Bureau List of Piracy prone countries in March last year. These achievements are attributable to sustained presence of Nigerian Navy ships at sea, increased regional and international synergy as well as active maritime domain awareness.”
“To further bolster Nigerian Navy maritime security operations efforts, Mr President approved acquisition of additional vessels as well as several air assets. Currently under construction are 2 by 76m High Endurance Offshore Patrol Vessels in Turkey, 3 by 45m Fast Patrol Boats in France and 2 by Augusta Westland helicopters amongst others.”
According to Gambo, the 2023 Presidential Fleet Review is unique because it is organised in honour of a President who provided unprecedented support to the Nigerian Navy in terms of fleet recapitalization, infrastructural development and personnel welfare thereby boosting morale and fighting efficiency.
He opined that Nigerians can be proud of a well-equipped Navy courtesy of the unwavering commitment of President Buhari, while he appreciated the President for commissioning a Landing Ship Transport, an Inshore Patrol Craft and one Augusta Westland Grand New light utility helicopter.
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Participants at the event
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Jim Ovia
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
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