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Insecurity: Inter-Agency Collaboration Paramount – Navy

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The Nigerian Navy says the myriad of security challenges confronting the maritime sector can be curbed with a sustained inter-agency collaboration.
Rear Adm. Sahad Akinwande, Commandant of Naval War College, Nigeria, said this, Wednesday, in Calabar at the Naval Warfare Course 7 inter-agency seminar 2023.
The seminar had the theme: Harnessing the Potentials of the Nation’s Maritime Environment: Imperative for Synergy Amongst Maritime Stakeholders in Cross River.
He said the college was convinced that when stakeholders dialogue towards proffering solutions to common challenges, the outcomes would be advantageous to its immediate environment.
The Commandant said emerging security challenges such as terrorism, banditry, cultism, kidnapping among others, have all aggregated to expand the responsibilities of the Nigerian Navy beyond its traditional roles.
According to him, the service on its part is leaving no stone unturned towards combating the nation’s maritime security concerns.
“Notably, the Nigerian Navy Maritime Security Operations efforts in March 2022 led to the delisting of Nigeria from the International Maritime Bureau Piracy List.
“Similarly, in February the Chief of the Naval Staff announced the delisting of Nigeria from the list of countries paying War Insurance Premium for ships whose destination is Nigeria by Llyods of London, United Kingdom.
“This means that ships doing business with or plying Nigerian sea lanes will pay the normal insurance payable by other countries which is less expensive and this will enhance shipping/cargo trade.
“These achievements are the products of improved Maritime Security Operations, enhanced security architecture and robust collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and other critical maritime stakeholders”, he said.
Keynote speaker at the event, Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, urged the Navy to foster their relationship with other security agencies and stakeholders to curb maritime challenges.
Obi, who was represented by Prof. Michael Okom, the Director of Alumni Affairs in UNICAL, said the maritime domain houses the largest biodiversity on earth.
According to her, any nation that neglects the security of the maritime sector does so at its own risk in view of the economic potentials that abounds in the maritime domain.
“There is the need for the navy to collaborate with other security agencies to tackle the menace of piracy, oil bunkering and militancy,” she said.
Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Ibrahim Dewu, said that a sustained inter-agency collaboration would explore potentials in the maritime sector for the good of the country.
Dewu, who was represented by the Chief Staff Officer of the Command, Rear Adm. Michael Oamen, said such collaboration would also help to curb the inter-agency rivalry that is mostly caused by junior personnel of the service.
The Tide’s source reports that Heads of Security agencies at the seminar were; Customs, Nigeria Security and Civil Corps, Immigration, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Inland Waterways among others.

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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Doles Out N132m For Hospital Maintenance

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The Akwa Ibom State Government has released N132 million for the maintenance of General Hospitals across the 31 Local Government Areas of the state in the last one year.
The State’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Augustine Umoh, disclosed this during an Inter-Ministerial Briefing, tagged, “Tracking the Promise” in Uyo, recently.
Umoh said Governor Udom Emmanuel is committed to effective healthcare delivery service in the state.
He noted that the State Government is aware of shortage of Nurses and Midwives in the health sector, adding that the shortfall of medical personnel has been addressed through employment of over 300 Doctors and Nurses in hospitals .
The Commissioner, however, said the number of recruited medical personnel was not enough, and government planned to bring back retired Midwives, who are still strong to support existing ones in the healthcare service.
“We will soon bring back retired Midwives who are still strong into the state hospital service. Government will pay them stipends to encourage them in contributing through their acquired experiences in the health sector.
“However, more health personnel would be employed to ensure efficient healthcare delivery in the state”, Umoh said.
He reeled out achievements of the Governor in the health sector in the last eight years to include renovation of hospitals and construction of new ones.
He listed the remodeled hospitals in the state to include; General Hospitals in Ikot Abasi, Eket, Anua and the procurement of medical equipment.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong, said it became necessary to sensitise the public on the true position of government’s projects, programmes and activities.
Ememobong said it was worrisome that after seven and half years of governance with numerous record of achievements in all sectors, some sordid and disparaging news items are still being spread around.
“We have, therefore, brought every section of the society together here to find out the reason the stories and reports sent out do not correspond with what we have on ground in the State.
“Governor Emmanuel has constructed numerous roads in the State, such as the Uyo-Etinan-Ndon Eyo Road and Ikot Oku Ikono flyover, among others but someone will write that there is no road in Akwa Ibom State,” he said.

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Niger Delta

UBTH Mourns Former CMD

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The management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has expressed grief over the death of Prof. Michael Ibadin, a former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital.
In a statement made available to The Tide’s source in Benin yesterday, the CMD, Dr Darlington Obaseki, said the deceased succumbed during a brief illness.
Obaseki described the late Ibadin as a quintessential leader and a mentor to many.
He said his demise was a big loss not only to his family, but also to the hospital community and the medical world.
“With a deep sense of loss and pain in our hearts, we submit to the will of the Almighty God on the passing into the celestial realm of our former CMD, Prof. M.O. Ibadin after a brief illness.
“Until his death, he was a Professor of Paediatrics, a Consultant Pediatric Nephrologist and an astute health administrator.
“He was also a mentor who introduced several persons into hospital administration and management, including myself.
“We commiserate with his immediate family at this time and pray that God himself will console them and grant them the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss,” he said.

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Reverse Illegal Sack Of Workers, Obaseki Tells AAU Mgt

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has directed the management of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, to immediately reverse all recent disengagement letters issued to some staff of the institution.
The government directive is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media Projects to the Governor, Mr Crusoe Osagie, and made available to newsmen in Benin.
Obaseki, in the statement, said the sack notices issued earlier to some staff of the university were illegal, null and void.
“The management is to retrieve any such illegal letters if they were ever issued and reinstate the affected staff.
“I have ordered an in-depth investigation into what led to the sporadic issuance of illegal sack letters and ensure that anyone found culpable will be brought to book”, the Governor said.
Obaseki reiterated his commitment to the welfare of members of staff, adding that he was working to find solutions to all lingering issues affecting workers in the state-owned institution.

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