Navy Chief meet top commanders, vows to punish anyone link to Crude Oil Theft
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has charged the Principal Staff Officers(PSOs), Flag Officers Commanding(FOCs) and Commanders of Autonomous Units in the Nigerian Navy to be innovative in its approach; vows to punish anyone in connection to Crude Oil Theft (COT).
Speaking at the 2023 Nigerian Navy Retreat held on Tuesday, at Naval Headquarters in Abuja, Vice Admiral Ogalla, explained that with evolving nature of threat to the country maritime domain, Nigeria Navy will have to be innovative in its approaches, expressing his determination to rebuild the conceptual, moral and physical components of our fighting power.
“As you are well aware, I and my colleagues the other Service Chiefs took over command of our respective Services at a very critical period when the nation is facing daunting security challenges.
“These challenges are having devastating impact on the country and are undermining our national security and development. This was rightly highlighted by the President and Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, during his first meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs. During the meeting, the President gave us marching orders to deal decisively with all security challenges facing the country.
On Crude Oil Theft, he said “Recently, there has been a lot of media frenzy on the issue of COT. Unfortunately, some of these are intentionally propagated to embarrass the NN and misinform unsuspecting members of the public. We cannot afford to be complacent or make the NN vulnerable for exploitation by mischief makers. I therefore want to make this clear that under my watch there is zero tolerance for COT in the NN.
He said, “Any officer or rating that is found to be involved in COT will be punished to the full extent of the law. I expect you to go back and educate your officers and men about the dangers of COT. The government looks up to us to lead the fight to eradicate COT.
“Accordingly, we must work together with sister Services and other related agencies to stamp out the menace. Nigerians expect their Navy to remain above reproach, as a force they can admire and rely upon. Gentlemen, it behooves us to take fierce pride in this obligation.
The CNS, also charged the officers to remain discipline, which he said is essential for any successful organization, but it is especially important to the military. “As Commanders, I am counting on you to uphold discipline in your commands. Be role models to your officers and men. Set a high standard of conduct and enforce the rules fairly and consistently.
“Always do the right thing especially when it is hard. Related to this is the need to enhance Civil-Military Cooperation and relations with civilians in your Areas of Operation. When the people we are there to serve see us as partners, they are more likely to support our efforts and cooperate with us. This can make a big difference in our ability to achieve our objectives and build a more stable and secure environment.
“I charge you to be mindful of the welfare of those under you. Prioritize the welfare of your subordinates not just as a compassionate matter, but as an essential to mission success. Importantly, create a conducive environment for your subordinates to air their views, contribute to decision making and where required, seek redress. In doing these, keep close watch on your mental, physical and emotional health, and the health of those you lead. When people are happy and healthy, they are more productive and resilient and are also more likely to stay in Service.
He said, “On my part, I will continue to provide opportunities for job satisfaction and self-actualization as well as recognise and reward hard work and dedication. Issues relating to personnel accommodation, uniform items and appointment/draft cycle are already receiving attention. Similarly, I have directed that vehicle be provided by Commands, Bases, units and establishments including boats for those in the riverine areas, as fuel subsidy palliative to ease personnel transportation.”
In his remark, Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Joseph Akpanat, said the Retreat was organised to enable the CNS to communicate his mission, vision, and command philosophy to Commanders and to provide a platform for Commanders to brief the CNS on their plan of action to implement the Strategic Directive as well highlight progress report on the CNS 100 Days Performance Targets.
He said, “Similarly, the Retreat would afford us the opportunity to reassess the threat environment and review our operations and activities with a view to identifying gaps that could be addressed for better performance.
“I am therefore hopeful our discussions will be incisive, innovative, and provocative. We need to have frank discussions about what is working and what is not. Only then can we make the necessary changes to ensure that the Navy is the best it can be.
“However, I want appeal to us to be time conscious as there is much to be done. I am convinced that we can achieve our goal in this Retreat if we make deliberate efforts and focus on the essentials”.
