In line with his determination to improve the performance of the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has expressed commitment to reviewing the Nigerian Navy Order (NNO), by setting up fleet support units and fleet support elements, with a view to returning full command and control to the parent establishment.
This was part of the resolutions adopted at the just-concluded 2021 naval engineering retreat, which had ‘Repositioning the Naval Engineering Branch for Effective Service Delivery’ as its theme, in Lagos.
The event was targeted at achieving positive changes in the career development of engineers and technicians, examining engineering practices in the Nigerian Navy Engineering Branch (NEB), as well as reviewing issues currently restraining the NEB from functioning optimally.
Speaking at the two-day retreat, held at the Admiralty Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, Gambo said the event would culminate in improving the organisational structure, training, practice and career development in the NEB and by extension the Navy.
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He said this would be possible because the resource persons were very explicit on the issues and challenges of the four focus areas, namely organisational structure, training, career management and practice, as well as the strategies required to mitigate them.
Also speaking at the event, the acting managing director, Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Ede Oriaikhi, who was part of the discussion panel, commended the chief of naval staff for his leadership and added that performance management should be implemented to ensure accountability, tracking and monitoring.
In appreciation for the brilliant presentation, the chief of naval staff presented the Naval Staff Resource Award to Oriaikhi, adding that her recommendations and others would be reviewed for possible implementation.
In any case, with its three strategically located yards in Lagos at Idi-Oro, Agege, and the Naval Dockyard on Victoria Island, which are fully equipped fabrication yards, with the capacity to deliver world-class fabrication and other related services, Dorman Long has a close working relationship with the Nigeria Navy.
The company was established as a leading oilfield equipment, structural steel, marine structures engineering and fabrication firm in 1949.
