The Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have bgun the survey and charting of the country’s offshore waters.
The exercise, the first in 200 years, was also the first indigenous attempt in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region whose navigational charts were produced from survey executed by the colonial masters.
The Nation reports that with the exercise, Nigeria has practicalised efforts to repossess production and ownership of data for maritime safety and security across its 84,000 square nautical miles maritime space.
Flagging off the offshore survey last week in Lagos, Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi said it would also lead to economic prosperity and creation of more jobs for the masses.
Amaechi noted that navigational risks caused by wreckage would be drastically reduced by the survey and charting exercise.
The minister stressed that national security would also be improved through the exercise.
Praising President Muhammadu Buhari for the acquisition of the survey vessel, NNS LANA, which was deployed for the exercise, Amaechi said the government was constructing in France another 35-metre survey vessel for the navy.
He said the survey of the country’s waters would lead to the generation of about two million jobs as it would increase patronage of the country’s ports.
Amaechi said: “As this vessel commences the survey of Nigerian offshore, it is expected that it would provide the necessary enablers to support the Federal Government’s economic diversification initiative through improved maritime security, maritime trade as well as improved economic prosperity.”
“NNS LANA, in conjunction with a similar vessel to be acquired by the Federal Government, would, in a few years from now, completely survey offshore waters and produce indigenous nautical charts, publications to facilitate improved maritime shipping, security and economic development in Nigeria.
“It is also expected that at the end of this survey and charting campaign, up-to-date indigenous nautical products will be available to facilitate smooth kick-off of the new seaports that are under construction.
“Additionally, completion of this survey and charting operation would boost confidence of mariners to increase patronage of Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar ports, just as the Warri, Sapale and other ports that are hitherto operating at the lowest level would be reactivated.
“This would provide over 2 million direct and indirect jobs, increase the economic viability of these ports and ultimately decongest Lagos traffic as well as reduce pressure on our roads.”
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, emphasised that the exercise was the first indigenous survey of the country’s waters and the second attempt since the 19th century.
The CNS explained that the survey and charting by the navy would be done with state-of-the-art equipment onboard NNS LANA.
He said: “This would be a Nigerian-owned survey vessel manned by Nigerian Navy personnel to conduct systematic hydrographic survey of our offshore waters for the purpose of producing indigenous charts of our waters.
“The implication of this is that in the next few years, indigenously produced survey data would be used to produce up-to-date nautical charts and publications for mariners’ use within Nigerian waters.
“This would not only replace old Admiralty chart currently used, it would also lead to the increase of safety within our waters, boost confidence of mariners and lead to increase shipping traffic into various Nigerian ports for enhance economic prosperity.”
Also at the event were the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Navy, Abdul-Aziz Nyako; Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko; Rear Admirals Yakubu Wambai; Ayo Olugbode; Ibrahim Shettimma; Kohaith Levi; Chukwuemeka Okafor, among others.