Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday commended the Nigerian Navy for its collaborative role in providing security for the nation’s oil assets.

Okowa gave the commendation when he received the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Kennedy Egbuchulam, at Government House, Asaba.

He said that a lot was being done in collaboration with the Navy and other security agencies to secure the state, and urged the FOC to ensure that his tenure would further enhance peace and security in the area.

According to him, there is no doubt that the Navy along with other sister agencies are actually doing a lot to help to secure the economy and the safety of our area.

“I am glad that you visited your men in various locations even in the very remote parts of the state and it’s obviously a good boost for them.

“Parts of our state like other states in the Niger Delta are actually very difficult to handle issues of security and development.

“In order to truly ensure that the people provide a peaceful environment, we need to find collaboration between them and the state in such a manner that we also take development to them.

“In realising this, we have tended to take to the best of ability within the limits of financial resources to take some level of development to these areas that are actually in the riverside.

“With the cooperation of our people, it is beginning to pay off and we are thankful to the people for the level of peace that we are enjoying and we hope that by collaboration and talking to each other through dialogue, will continue to yield better results and cooperation from the various communities,” Okowa said.

He called on the Federal Government to look at the plight of Niger Delta people by providing them with more development to make life more meaningful for them.

“I have always used every single opportunity I have to call on the Federal Government to also continue to see what best they can do in trying to extend development to these areas.

“It’s obviously quite difficult terrain and we will continue to see what we can do because the cost of development, especially if you are constructing roads, is quite high.

“If you want to provide services, it’s quite difficult even drinking water, because they are surrounded by water yet they can’t find water to drink; they can’t find water to do a whole lot of things.

“If you want to construct anything in that place, you will actually bring in a lot from outside and it’s not an easy thing to do, but we thank our people for their cooperation.

“We also thank your men for the great job they have been doing because collaboratively we have tended to have some level of peace in our waterways throughout this period,” the governor stated.

He pledged the support of the state government in completing the fencing of Naval Command in Warri and Jetty at NNS Delta.

Earlier, Rear Admiral Egbuchulam had said that he was in the State as part of his visit to key stakeholders on assumption of office.

He commended Governor Okowa and the state government for their tremendous support to the operations of the Navy in Delta.

The naval chief stated that the Nigerian Navy was poised to collaborate with other sister security agencies to ensure that Delta was safe.

He added that the whole essence of providing security was to ensure that Nigeria was safe for indigenes to conduct their businesses without fear.

“My area of responsibility is enormous, vast and the terrain is also challenging and that is exactly the reason why I have come around.

“We have gone from one part of the state to the other to see where our men are deployed and trying to assess the peculiarity of the challenges that they have to confront.

“I want to assure you that we are working in collaboration with other security agencies to make sure that we optimally deploy the assets that we have to see that our waterways and Delta State as a whole is secured,” he said.

•PHOTO: Delta Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (middle), Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro (5th left), Secretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah (3rd right), the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Security, Hon David Tonwe (1st left), the flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Kennedy Obinawanne Egbuchulam (fifth right),and his entourage during a courtesy call on the Governor in Asaba, on Wednesday. PHOTO: BRIPIN ENARUSAI

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