Amby Uneze in Owerri
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has announced the donation of the state owned Marine University at Ossemotor in Oguta Local Government Area which is still under construction to the Nigerian Navy with the believe that the university would be very useful to the Naval Command and to the society at large.
The governor announced the donation when the committee set up by the Chief of Naval Staff on the New Naval Base in Ossemotor, Oguta, paid courtesy call on him at the Government House Owerri. He added that the government had earlier donated the 200 -bed General Hospital at Ngor-Okpala to the navy.
His words: “We have donated the 200-bed ultra modern hospital at Ngor-Okpala because we know that navy is a disciplined force and will probably run the best military hospital in the State which will be of great importance to Imo people.”
He continued: “We have equally donated to you the Marine University which is under construction at Oguta. The Marine University has the most beautiful location for the navy. We have started this project but we believe that the proper institution to handle it with the naval base should be the Nigeria Navy.
“We have donated the land and undertake to complete the ongoing project which has the capacity of taking about 1,000 students or a thousand officers when completed. We are now waiting for you to come immediately as this government does not take the tranquilising drug of protocol and gradualism. As soon as you commence, the contractors will return to site to complete the project,” he said.
The governor said: “Navy coming to Oguta will help in developing the waterway from Oguta to Lagos thus helping tourism to flourish in the area with Oguta lake which will soon be given a facelift. It will equally make the area secured. This will help the State to tap its tourism potentials to the fullest in the area.”
According to him “all these efforts is to force development to the State as Nigerians have not heard the Imo story yet. There is no state so centralised and richly endowed like Imo State. We have allocated land for the Naval Command School and another land for the navy estate. Admitted the naval captain as a member of the Imo Security Council. Donated temporary office and quarters for the smooth take off of the naval base.”
In his speech earlier, Commodore Obenta who led the committee, expressed the Chief of Naval Staff’s gratitude and appreciation to the government and good people of Imo State for the donation of the land at Oguta and 200-bed ultra modern hospital at Ngor-Okpala, stressing that the state is ready and willing to support the naval community when eventually the base is established in Oguta and the hospital taken over by the Nigeria Navy.
He promised that the Chief of Naval Staff would expeditiously establish a port at Oguta and fast track the smooth take off of the hospital, pointing out that a strong committee has been set by the Chief of Naval staff for this purpose.
He pledged that the Nigeria Navy is willing and ready to partner the Imo State government in ensuring adequate security for the growth of the state.
