Navy Pledges Support For INEC In Riverine Communities

The Nigerian Navy has pledged to support the Independent National Electoral Commission in the handling and distribution of materials and men during the forthcoming general elections.

Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, stated this on Tuesday in Calabar during a tour of facilities within the command.

He said the navy would support the commission, especially in riverine communities before, during and after the elections.

Babalola said, “Like you know, we operate in the maritime environment. We would stand by to assist INEC to escort electoral materials going to riverine areas during the elections.

“We would keep the waterways safe so that people would vote in an enabling environment. 

We would corporate with INEC and the various security agencies to ensure that we have successful elections.”

The FOC disclosed that the proposed Nigerian navy reference hospital in Calabar will also be opened to the public, especially members of the host community when fully completed.

“As regard the hospital, it will provide healthcare services to our personnel and to the host community. This is going to be a reference hospital; we expect that other hospitals in Calabar would transfer patients here,” he said.

In an interactive session with officers and ratings in the FOC’s maiden dialogue forum, Babalola cautioned his men against indiscipline, adding that his administration would not hesitate to punish any erring personnel.

He said his administration would be guided by two principles; reward for hard work as well as discipline to offenders in order to serve as deterrent to others.

Some naval formations visited include; a 30-bed apartment project at the ENC headquarters, Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Akpabuyo, proposed NOWA Nursery School in Atimbo Navy Barrack, Navy Primary School in Ikot Ansa, among others.