By Evelyn Usman

A  call for the  review of the Nigerian Navy Order, NNO, through setting up of Fleet Support Units and Fleet Support Elements, with a view to returning full command and control to parent establishment, formed part of the resolution presented at the end of the 2021 Naval Engineering Retreat in Lagos last week.

The move was geared towards making essential changes to the career development of engineers and technicians as well as engineering practices in the Nigerian Navy Engineering Branch.

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The retreat themed “Repositioning the Naval Engineering Branch for Effective Service Delivery”   examined critical issues that have restrained  the Naval Engineering Branch, NEB  from functioning optimally, as well as identifying new ways of creating an enabling environment for it, for  improved platform maintenance.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the two-day retreat, Chief of the Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, explained that the gathering was one of the many ways  of enhancing the performance of the Navy by addressing key issues that could impinge administration, training and practice of Engineering.

The move, according to him,  would ultimately improve organisational structure, training, practice and career development in the Naval Engineering Branch, with a corresponding overall positive impact on the Navy.

He noted that the retreat and  its theme could not  have come at a better time when the Navy was making significant effort to bolster its effectiveness in the maritime environment and other continental engagements.

 He stated: “The issues that received the most attention during this Retreat centred on the need to reorganise the structure of Naval Engineering Branch and improvements of training packages.

“ The discussions in the Retreat also revealed the need to make pragmatic and essential changes to the career development of engineers and technicians as well as engineering practices. It is envisaged that these changes would elicit the needed stimulus to reposition the Branch for enhanced productivity and fast-track improvements in operational efficiency, downtime and availability of NN ships in line with the transformation drive”.

Presenting  the resolution , the Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe , explained that it was an articulation of all the resolutions reached from the presentations, interactions and deliberations made during the Retreat.