By EVELYN USMAN
President Goodluck Jonathan Friday in Lagos, commissioned the first locally built Seaward Defense Boat (SDB) by the Nigerian Navy, declaring that it was a sign of better things to come in the Nigerian Armed Forces and the country at large.
This is just as he also flagged off the construction of another warship by the Nigerian Navy, which is expected to be commissioned next year.
Declaring that the time had come for Nigerians to start being creative, the president, expressed joy that such creativity had begun with the Armed Forces, revealing that recently in Kaduna, the Nigerian Airforce during its anniversary, displayed a rare creativity.
The first locally made Seaward defence boat commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos.
“Now, the Navy has shown another area of creativity and I am told that the Army has something in the offing. This is the beginning of transformation and I believe that in another 10-15 years, we will be thinking of starting a project of taking Nigeria to the air. We have just started and we will continue”
Expressing satisfaction over the success of the SDB named NNS ANDONI, the president however observed that the indigenous platforms on ground in different sectors during the country’s independence were grounded due to what he described as lack of indigenous touch.
He therefore, disclosed that in line with his administration’s agenda of transformation, scholarships would be given to first class students of tertiary institutions to study in one of the best universities in the world, with a view to bringing such knowledge back and exploring it in the country.
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State who also graced the occasion said NNS ANDONI was a clear demonstration of the operational readiness and professionalism of the Nigerian Navy ,expressing joy that the NN could build such platform for the defense of the country.
He therefore, called for more support from the Federal Government for the NN, pointing out that the Navy deserved more since it had shown commitment for its readiness to deliver.
