The Federal Government has pledged unabated support to the Nigerian Navy’s regional collaborative efforts to secure the Gulf of Guinea for enhanced economic development.
President Buhari made the pledge in a message to the opening ceremony of the International Maritime Conference at the Onne Port Multi- Purpose Center, Federal Ocean Terminal, River State.
Represented by the Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), Buhari said the Conference which is to commemorate the sixty – sixth Anniversary of the Nigerian Navy potends a veritable platform to espouse measures to mitigate what he called increasing vulnerabilities in African Waters especially in the Gulf of Guinea.
The C-in-C who was the Special Guest of Honour acknowledged the role of the Nigerian Navy as a cardinal agency in the nation’s maritime sector that has developed into a big force to be reckoned with among Navies of the World.
In his opening remark’s the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo disclosed that the theme of the conference “Optimizing Collaboration for Maritime Security and Socio – Economic Development in Africa” is expected to elicit analytical discuss among participants on how best to deal with common Maritime challenges.
Gambo said the huge attendance at the Conference is a proof of the collaborative commitments of Navies of the World towards defining mechanism to tackle current threats in the Gulf of Guinea which he described as transnational in nature.
He said the complexity of the threats require the coming together of littoral states for enhanced capabilities to win the war against infractions in the regional Maritime domains.
The opening ceremony which was attended by Nigeria’s Serving and retired Chiefs of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs as well as their foreign counterparts, members of the diplomatic communities and corporate partners of the Navies of the world dovetailed into goodwill messages, tour of exhibition stands and presentation of papers as well as discussion sessions.
The two -day 2022 International Maritime Conference ends today.
