Navy To Benefit From FG’s N60bn China-Africa Loan

Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe-IbasThe Nigerian Navy is to benefit from the N60billion, which the Federal Government is presently seeking from the China-Africa partnership loan.

This is just as the Navy yesterday commissioned 39 locally built gunboats as well as 45 operational vehicles to fight militancy in the country.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Yisa Haman, who spoke to journalists yesterday at the Western Naval Command Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos, said plans have commenced to ensure the Navy gets adequate funds in the 2017 budget, as well as the N60 billion China-Africa partnership loan.

The Special Guest and Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Muhammad Dan-Ali (rtd), disclosed that the locally built 39 gunboats were indigenously constructed in the Nigerian Navy Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In his remarks, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, said that the boats were built with improved features from the 30 inaugurated in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.