By Evelyn Usman

History was made today by the Nigerian Navy, as it developed the first indigenous navigational chart of the nation’s water that would enable mariners to have a better knowledge of the territorial waters when moving vessels in and out of the country.

Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette- Ibas, ( 4th right ) and other senior naval officers at the end of his tour of commands under the Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy.

The launch of the indigenous navigation chart took place at the Admiralty Conference Hall at Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, just as the Navy joined the rest of the world to celebrate  World Hydrography Day.

Describing the feat as a laudable one, Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman , said  with the first indigenous navigational chart, the Federal Government would take ownership of its own data, adding that the NPA would collaborate with the Nigerian Navy by providing it with data, to expand the scope of what they already have.

Service Chiefs meet with Chief of Staff in Aso Rock

She said: “ The CNS has informed me that they have data from the Eastern ports within our creeks and channels in the eastern part. We also provide additional details and data particularly as it relates to our ports and as it relates to the berthing of vessels. There is additional work that we will do in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, to enhance the chart we already have today.”

Fielding questions from newsmen, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, explained that the new indigenous chart was an update of what contained in the previous one.

He said: “ Those charts are still useful, as some data in them are still very useful. What we did in this first indigenous chart is that we updated whatever information that was in the old ones because there are lots of activities that take place in the sea bed presently.

” The chart makes life easier for a mariner, as it entails all the data he needs to know, depending on the size of the ship he has.”

CNS..22/6/2019