Mkpoikana Udoma –
Port Harcourt — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reiterated the resolve of his administration to have a robust working relationship with security agencies operating within the maritime sector, in line with his commitment to the development of the blue economy.
The governor stated this when he played host to the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, at Government House, Uyo.
Governor Eno emphasized the importance of a fortified security network to development and assured that his administration will continue to support and collaborate with security agencies for the purposes of development.
He said: “We will continue to ask for more. As you have noted, for the blue economy to succeed, the Nigerian Navy will play a vital role; and for me, the most critical role is that of maritime security that will help build the confidence of our people, and that of foreign investors like you have already identified. So we will continue to partner with you.”
The governor maintained that already, the State government has in the past few months, invested in gunboats, and created a dedicated ministry for internal and waterways security, among other moves, noting that he was ready to cooperate with the Nigerian Navy towards ensuring that no part of the State is a safe haven for criminality.
“When we came in at the early stage, we invested in gunboats. We also showed that we are serious about security. That is why we created a different ministry for Security and Waterways to collaborate with the security agencies and have a smooth information flow that can help us. We have recorded a lot of success even though we still have so much to be done,” he said.He congratulated the new Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command on his assumption of duties in the command, and assured of his commitment to a more robust working relationship with the command.
Earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, noted the long-standing relationship between the command and the Akwa Ibom State government as reflected in the contributions made by Governor Eno to the Nigerian Navy and by extension, the maritime sector.
Akiinwande informed the governor that the command has stepped up its operations to enhance the socio-economic activities in the coastal areas, after taking delivery of some Naval ships, affirming that the command will continue to do everything towards ensuring the smooth operations of the Eastern Naval Command.
He said he was on a courtesy visit to Governor Umo Eno as the Chief Executive of one of the states under his operational responsibilities, following his assumption of duty. The Command covers Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers states.
