Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a demonstration of corporate social responsibility, the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder has distributed books and other educational materials to primary schools in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The donation, which includes thousands of exercise books, chalks, mathematical sets, story books, markers, drawing books, and other educational tools, was presented to the pupils of St. Paul’s Primary School I, St. Paul’s Primary School II, Opobo Primary School, Abaziebie Model Primary School, all in Opobo Town, as well as to the Nigerian Navy Primary School, Pathfinder Rumuorlumeni in Obio/Akpor LGA.
Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku, explained that the education outreach aligns with the vision, mission, and strategic directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, hence the the Nigerian Navy remain a strategic stakeholder in the educational development of the country.
Aniaku represented by the Executive Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Captain Bassey Asuquo Bassey, noted that the donations were part of the fourth phase of the Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sanity.
According to him, the Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sanity has both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieving its mandate which is to stamp out oil theft, illegal bunkering, sea piracy and other in the Niger Delta region, so as to increase oil production in the country.
The NNS Pathfinder boss also advised the pupils who are beneficiaries of the Educational Rhapsody, not to dabble into any form of crime ans criminalities as they grow up, warning that crime does not pay.
He said, “Today, we are here to conduct our non-kinetic approach which is to reach out to communities around where our Bases are located, so as to reach the hearts and minds of the people, to encourage them and to synergise with them towards achieving our mandate of Operation Delta Sanity IV.
“So, we are distributing these educational materials as part of the Nigerian Navy’s Educational Rhapsody and outreach. The educational materials distributed to them is to encourage the pupils in their education career so far.
“The Nigerian Navy under Operation Delta Sanity IV, have decided to give out these free educational materials which includes; notebooks, textbooks, novels and even sporting items like foot like football, because we know that it is not only in the classroom that pupils will learn. They also require extra curricular activities.
“We believe that by so doing, the children will be encouraged, and form a good ideology in their young minds. Like the sayings goes, catch them young, so, when they grow, they will be good leaders and good citizens of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.”
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting schools in Opobo, the Head Teacher, Community Primary School, Abaziebie, Mrs Uranta Lucy Rogers, commended the Nigerian Navy for donating the materials to the schools.
Rogers also urged the Nigerian Navy and the government to do more for public primary schools in the rural areas, explaining that most schools in the area needs renovation to make the environment conducive for learning.
“I am grateful, even the children are happy because we have never seen something like this before. These donations will motivate our pupils to be serious in their studies, because in the future, some of them will like to join the Navy.”
The NNS Pathfinder team who earlier paid a courtesy visit to the Amayanaobo of Opobo Kingdom, HRM King Dandeson Jaja, were received by the Vice Chairman of Opobo Council of Alapu, Alabo Edwin Cockeye Brown.
Brown speaking on behalf of the Amayanaobo of Opobo Kingdom, thanked the Nigerian Navy over the past free medical outreach which the Navy had carried out in the area.
“We must thank you for your past activities in Opobo. It is a very good thing that you’re starting with the young ones by laying a good impression in their minds concerning the Navy. We are happy to welcome you here and we are sure your donation will yield a lot of fruits in the near future. We are also hopeful that this your gesture will be sustained, so that it can yield more fruits in the future.”
