Chief Of Naval Staff Advocates Expanded Role For Hydrographic Units
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral Usman O. Jibrin, has advocated greater role for the security agency’s hydrographic department in line with contemporary global trends and increasing responsibilities, Channels TV has reported.
Admiral Jibrin made the observation in a keynote address during the 2014 World Hydrographic Day Celebration held at the Wellington Hotel Effurun, near Warri, Delta State.
He appealed to the Federal Government to upgrade the hydrographic department of the Nigerian Navy to the National Hydrographic Commission.
Describing the theme of the 2014 celebration, ‘Hydrography:
More Than Just Nautical Charts’, Admiral Jibrin said that the upgrading and increased funding would effectively address the major problem that has militated against hydrographic development in Nigeria, due to the indifferent involvement of the
Government.
The enormous financial outlay of hydrographic operations, due to huge costs of surveying required in Nigeria’s maritime domains could only be guaranteed under an expanded status for the department.
During an interview session, the CNS said that the essence of the celebration was to give adequate publicity to the global contribution of hydrography to the economic activities associated with oceans, seas and coastal zones. He pointed out that Nigeria,
which became a member of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) in 1981, was also a member of the East Atlantic Hydrographic Commission created by IHO to promote hydrographic cooperation at the regional level.
Meanwhile, the Navy’s Hydrographic Office is proposing to host the East Atlantic Commission between 2014 and 2016 to justify its active role in hydrology commission in the region, hence it has sued for more collaboration from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as well as other relevant stakeholders in the interest of hydrographic development in the country.
