The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has said the service has concluded the process of acquiring a survey ship to chart Nigeria’s waters, saying that the ship was expected in the country next year.
Gambo also said the Nigerian Navy has commenced the survey and chart of lower River Niger and Benue, Lekki and Lagos lagoons.
He lamented uncharted rivers in some security prone communities, adding that this led to the establishment of new Naval bases.
Gambo disclosed this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Hydrographic survey partnership with the University of Lagos.
He, however, said the country was in dire need of hydrography manpower than ever.
Gambo said, “Nigeria’s need for hydrographic manpower has never been more prominent than in this present time. This is because of the recent acquisition of a 60m offshore Hydrographic vessel-NNS LANA which has since commenced the survey of Nigeria’s offshore waters and another 35m survey ship to join the Nigerian Navy fleet in 2023, together with the ongoing survey and charting of lower River Niger and Benue, Lekki and Lagos lagoons as well as other survey activities conducted by other stakeholders within Nigeria, requires enough skilled hydrographic manpower to derive maximum value for allocated funds.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria desires to open up Nigeria’s internal waters through systematic hydrographic survey and charting for more robust maritime economic development and the recent establishment of new naval bases in security prone communities with predominantly uncharted rivers as well as the proposed establishment of the National Hydrographic Agency calls for increased human capacity building in hydrography.”
On the partnership, he said the University of Lagos would ensure that skilled manpower in hydrography are produced to advance Nigeria’s hydrographic practice in line with international best practices.
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