By Evelyn Usman

A delegation from the Military Security Committee, MSC of the African Union Peace and Security Council ,AU-PSC has described the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS KADA,  as the pride of Africa, acknowledging  her capability to play a significant role in future AU peace support operations.

The delegation, comprising Army Chiefs, Defence Attaches, and Secretariat Staff, made the commendation at the end of a tour of NNS KADA, a Landing Ship Tank LST-100 designed for amphibious operations, transport, and logistics.

 Led by the Chairman of the MSC-AU PSC, Brigadier General Abubakar Conteh of Sierra Leone, the delegation first visited the Western Naval Command in Apapa , Lagosbefore proceeding to the jetty where NNS KADA was anchored .

The visiting senior military officers were conducted around the ship, which has space for 18 crew members and 264 other personnel, including expeditionary troops. It also has a capacity for up to 575 cubic meters of roll-on/roll-off freight and 440 square meters of additional deck cargo.

Commander NNS KADA, Captain Andrew Zidon, provided a comprehensive briefing on the ship’s roles and capabilities, as he outlined the ship’s features, including its sea endurance of 30 days and capacity to carry over 1,000 persons during rescue missions.

He also highlighted the ship’s life rafts, designed to save lives in emergency situations.

 “These life rafts are specialized boats that can be dropped into the water and automatically deploy a canopy to shield occupants from the elements. They  play a critical role in maritime safety, providing a safe haven for passengers and crew until help arrives.”