By Sylvester Idowu
The Flag Officer Commanding the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saidu S. Garba, has commissioned a block of rating’s transit accommodation at Effurun in Delta State.
The accommodation, which comprised of a block of 14 rooms, was purposely built by the Ministry of Defence to ameliorate the challenge of residential accommodation of ratings on transit through Warri area.
Garba, who was joined yesterday by the Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Semiu Adepegba, to inaugurate the building on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas, lauded the decision of the Ministry of Defence as one that would boost the morale of personnel.
He said: “The decision of the Ministry of Defence to embark on this project is laudable and highly commendable. It lays credence to the avowed commitment of the Federal Government in supporting the services and in this case, the Nigerian Navy to address some of the welfare problems faced by personnel and engender high morale and boost operational effectiveness,” he said.
Garba said that the accommodation came at an opportune moment when ratings would be graduating from training school in Port Harcourt and be posted to Warri on transit before deployment.
“I wish to acknowledge the kind gesture of the Ministry of Defence on this giant stride. Let me also appreciate the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magaji (rtd) and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas for their efforts at completing and furnishing the accommodation,” he added.
He also appealed to the Delta State Government, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for assistance to complete the perimeter fencing of the barrack and the construction of NNS Delta jetty, which he had approved.
