It is imperative that the nation builds a virile, forward looking and responsive naval force that will be capable of safeguarding the nation’s maritime environment.
This is according to Minister for Defence, retired Major General Bashir Magashi at the 2023 Presidential Fleet Review Maritime Discourse organised in honour of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his keynote address, Magashi said the event is one of the key events at the 2023 Presidential Fleet Review in honour of our outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He observe the aptness and timeliness of the event, particularly at a period that our great nation is having a sustained and unbroken 20 years of democratic transition, with higher potentials and hopes of a great future.
Magashi encouraged participants to vigorously examine and appraise the 4 sub-topics of the Discourse in such a way as to provide required tangible strategic direction to enable the Nigerian Navy deliver on its enormous tasks, which are no mean feat even for the most equipped navies.
According to him, he as a precursor to the Presidential Fleet Review, expect the Maritime Discourse to focus on introspecting and interrogating our strategic and operational inclinations towards promoting and supporting navy adequately.
In his words, this critical introspection is aimed at first, consolidating gains and making them fit-for-purpose for enhanced operational effectiveness, saying it is aimed at acknowledging our weakest links and rethinking our strategies with a view to charting new frontiers for improved operational readiness.
Magashi observe that the discourse will garner inputs and draw inspiration and experiences from some of our allies and retired and serving personnel who have experiences to share.
Also, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo said prosperity of nations particularly littorals are inextricably linked to the huge resources derived from the maritime environment.
Gambo said any impediment within the environment due to unavailability of a prepared naval fleet, would have undesirable consequences on economic survival of nations.
According to him, prosperity of nations particularly littorals are inextricably linked to the huge resources derived from the maritime environment.
In his words, as such, any impediment within the environment due to unavailability of a prepared naval fleet, would have undesirable consequences on economic survival of nations.
He said amongst others, are compelling reasons to further explore and unwrap formidable factors that can guarantee a prepared naval fleet poised to ameliorate maritime insecurity for prosperity.
Gambo envisaged that the maritime discourse would provide a platform to collectively interrogate and highlight components of Naval Fleet readiness and how the components could be sequenced to deliver Nigerian Navy operational objectives for enhanced national prosperity.
In his words, it is against the backdrop, that the theme for the Presidential Fleet Review, “Fleet Readiness for National Prosperity”, was conceptualised to support the strategic level initiative and emphasise essence of a ready and responsive naval fleet and its contributions towards attainment of national prosperity.
For him, a critical consideration of the concept is derived from interactions of the triune factors of the Man, representing the crew; the Machine, representing the various platforms and the Process, which encapsulates doctrine, policy and strategy.
He noted that in order to put the foregoing imperatives into practical contexts, the theme was sub-divided into 4 areas; Doctrine/work up, Logistics Support, Fleet Maintenance and Crew Preparedness.
To him, unbundling the theme at the discourse would assist in deriving benefits of this all-important interaction, which is to project Nigerian Navy’s current and future efforts to consolidate a robust fleet that is ever ready to carry out its constitutional mandate and implied tasks, in conjunction with other government agencies, maritime stakeholders, allies and partners for the achievement of national prosperity.
Gambo stated that the Nigerian Navy has achieved several commendable milestones within the last 8 years, ranging from recapitalisation and strengthening collaborative efforts with national and international stakeholders.
According to him, these could not have been possible without the tremendous backing of Mr President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.