By Ngwuoke Ngwuoke
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla has announced plans by the Federal Government to establish a Naval Base at the Ogururu Waterway in Enugu State.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the Ogururu jetty, Ogalla said that the base would be of immense benefit not only to the South East region, but also to the North Central zone.
He expressed optimism that the activities of naval officers in the state would help reassure investors in the state of their security.
“The establishment of the naval base at Ogurugu community is going to be as quickly as possible. We have seen the facilities left behind by the federal government, which can serve as a starting point for us.
“We have seen the jetty also built by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which is one of the most difficult aspects of establishing a naval base. The two important facilities are like springboards for setting up a naval base. So, I believe what we need is just to do the remaining paperwork, get all the necessary approvals, and within a short time, the naval base would be here because it is very important to our operations in the South East and the North Central also.
“The establishment of a naval base here is equally going to open up Ogurugu Port, which used to be a port during the colonial era, and by doing so, ease the pressure on our roads.
“By the time we are here, the investing general public will also have more confidence in using this waterway as a viable means of transportation.
“So, I believe that our presence here is very important. We are going to hasten it up in collaboration with the state government, which has given us immense support” the naval chief stated.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Ossai, who accompanied the Chief of Naval Staff on the visit, reiterated the government’s resolve to harness the opportunities presented by the Ogurugu waterway and jetty to boost the state’s economy, ease transportation, and create employment.
Mba
“The economy of Nigeria is essentially road-driven and that contributes to damage to our roads because no one measures the axle weight. But with the investment the Navy is trying to make in our waters, they can now police the navigable waterways, which is cheaper for the movement of goods and services. That was why the colonial companies like the UAC, John Holt, among others, used this place as a forwarding base for the trades they did have.
“So, what this will essentially do is that it will help to explode the economy of Enugu State. It is going to be a major contributor to growing our economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion as we promised our people. It is going to enhance our planned special crop processing zone because for those heavy products, we have processed and we can’t fly from Enugu, we have an internal navigable water to move them to forward operating waters of the Atlantic.
“Therefore, as already stated at the Government House, we will give the navy and indeed the federal government all the support to make the project happen in no distant time”.
