A group, the Ohaneze Think Tank has pleaded with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to prevail on his men to allow licensed private pipeline security outfits to operate in the waterways for the economic progress of the country.
In a letter addressed to the naval boss and signed by the coordinator and his deputy, Dr Azubuike Ajuluchukwu and Dr Cletus Akunyili, the group alleged that naval personnel have been hampering the smooth operations of the private security agencies on the waterways.
The group averred that rather than being partners in the progress of salvaging the nation’s oil economy from the hands of saboteurs, the navy is frustrating the efforts of the private pipeline security outfits in order for them to fail.
“We come in peace to address some burning national issues of concern, and to which the Nigeria Navy is an integral part.
“The survival of Nigeria as a nation, without any argument, is a function of a virile and flourishing economy.
“The last 8 years have been traumatic and painful for citizens of this nation. The period foisted a harrowing pattern of experiences on citizens, who bear the brunt of an unpredictable, ever oscillating socio-political environment fraught with a wobbling economy.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, sadly enough, still carries the hangover of the last administration.
“It struggles furtively daily to grapple with a completely damaged system left behind by the last administration.
“The systemic rot is so debilitating as it seems almost impossible to peel off.
“The impediments cannot be left to fester and stagnate the progress of the nation, denying citizens the good life they are entitled to,” the group enthused.
“The Nigerian Navy, which you lead, has a significant role to play in the survival of the nation and in clearing the problem under review, the two key determinants of national growth are the economy and security.
“Their significance need no extra emphasis. As a long-serving Naval officer, you are quite conversant with the Navy’s operations, yet we must refresh your mind on some issues.
“Before your elevation to the position of Chief of Staff, the Naval component of the nation’s security architecture failed abysmally to deliver on its mandate, which you know in detail and can’t be swept under the carpet.
“Either through deliberate negligence or connivance with dubious entities to undermine the national interest, the impotence of the Nigerian Navy was established, to the disappointment of the last administration.
“With no external wars to fight and reduced insecurity in the Niger Delta, the Navy had nothing to do, except to keep surveillance over oil assets of the nation round the clock. The Navy, however, failed in this singular task.
“The nation’s waterways became so porous that local and international oil thieves had a free run and in fact flourished.
“At the time President Goodluck Jonathan left office, crude production was over 2 million barrels per day.
“Six years into President Muhammadu Buhari’s two terms, production fell drastically below 700, 000 barrels per day.
“It wasn’t classified information, Nigeria could no longer foot her bills. This dire situation prompted the administration to go cap in hand to procure both local and foreign loans to run the government.
“It was on this premise that the Federal Government sought private security companies to protect the nation’s oil assets in the Niger Delta.
“Put yourself in a detached position and observe the scenario, has the foregoing spoken well of the Navy?
“The Nigerian Navy has through omission and/or commission failed to uphold the national interest.
“With your appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerians were hopeful that it would herald an era for a new beginning.
“That you will bring discipline, professionalism, competence and seriousness to bear on the job.
“Sadly, this hope was dashed as your appointment, however, hasn’t brought the expected improvements and anticipated change in the psyche of your men.
“The same old story of wanton irresponsibility and lack of dedication to duty by men of the Navy still subsists.
“The Navy you lead today carries the same old burden, which held down the nation.
“Rather than support the efforts of the three security companies contracted by the federal government to keep surveillance over oil facilities, the Navy is said to be hell-bent on creating impediments in their paths, just to tarnish their reputation and have their contracts revoked.
“The companies, Tantita Security Services Limited ( TSSL) and Pipelines Infrastructures Limited under the supervision of Inter-Atlas Synergy, have all cried out over Naval sabotage of their operations in the nation’s waters.
“The government appears inept to clip the wings of the elements in the Navy responsible.
“While the Nigerian Army, the Airforce and other security agencies have abided with the directive to work alongside the private security firms, the Navy has remained adamant. And it has consistently put spanners in their works.
“This goes against the grains of national interest, to which the Navy owes absolute allegiance.
“The interpretation obtained from the Navy’s resistance and stubbornness is found in its ego.
“The directives to civil bodies to compliment its assignments seem to eat away at its bloated ego.
“If from the onset, the Navy had performed its role credibly well, alternatives wouldn’t have been sought by the federal government.
“The Navy must pay the price for negligence on duty. It must accept to work side by side with the civil security firms.
“The contracting of the civil organizations brought improvement in crude production.
“As of today, production has gone up from a paltry 650,000 barrels per day to about 1.7 million barrels per day.
“If the Navy’s resistance is removed, production could climb to over 2.0 million barrels per day, as it was in 2015.
“And the government would no longer look for loans to support her activities,” the group noted.
The group, therefore, urged the Nigerian Navy to purge itself of unfounded anger and work with the private security outfits to enhance production.
It shall call on “Nigerians of goodwill to intervene and prevail on the Navy to support the Federal Government’s decision to incorporate civil security organizations to assist in securing oil facilities across Niger Delta.”
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