By Jide Dominic, Yenagoa
As a way of encouraging officers and men of the Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy to put in thier best while performing their official duties, the command has kick-started the construction of Junior and Senior Officers Mess facility which is aimed at giving them a conducive atmosphere to refresh after official working hours.
While performing the foundation laying ceremony of the mess, the Flag Officer of the Command (FOC), Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim noted that the Nigerian Navy has a huge responsibility of combating illegal oil and gas production activities within his command and there is every need for them to meet in a social and befitting atmosphere to exchange ideas which will go a long way in spurring them to continue to work hard.
The FOC used the opportunity to call on youths to desist from actions capable of disrupting oil and gas production activities, emphasizing that the Navy will continue to put in its best to meet the 2.5m barrels per day of oil and gas production target in the country by 2027.
He noted that the Federal Government has put in place some facilities to cushion the effects of oil exploration activities in the oil bearing communities like the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) urging the people to take advantage of the benefits in the Act for their self development and that of the society as a whole. He equally urged them to shun all forms of illegal oil bunkering activities, adding that the fight against crude oil theft across the country is a collective one and not only for the Navy. He opined that the Nigerian Navy is working hard to ensure that the water ways are safe for commerce and other economic activities across the oil bearing communities.
At assumption of office, he explained that the Nigerian Navy launched operations Delta Sentinel in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) International Oil Companies (IOCs) and security agencies to support increase in oil and gas production in the country. To achieve this, he pointed out that technology that patrols oil and gas bearing communities to ease the efforts of the Navy in combating illegal oil bunkering activities has been put in place, stressing that anymore caught in the act will face the full weight of the law through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
He urged the general public to collaborate with the Navy in this task by being vigilant and report any suspicious activities to security agencies for prompt action. In his remarks, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, Soroh, Commodore O. Akinbami, said the construction of the edifice is necessary to bring about the best in the Navy to relax and energise them in thier continued efforts to increase oil and gas projections in the country.
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