From left: Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh; Chief of Training and Operations, Air Vice Marshal JMD Gwani, who represented Chief of Air Staff and Commander, 301 HAG, Air Commodore P.O Obeya during the graduation ceremony of air assets trainees of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure also called the Deep Blue Project at the Air Force Base Hanger 301, Heavy Lift Group, Ikeja, Lagos, Friday.
 

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA has assured that it would leave no stone unturned in ensuring proper and adequate maintenance of assets under the Deep Blue Project. This is with a view to ensuring that they serve the purpose of providing security on Nigeria’s waters and the Gulf of Guinea as a whole.

Meanwhile, a total of 43 officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force have received certificates for specialised training as pilots and co-pilots for the Special Mission Aircrafts, Special Mission Specific Equipment Operators, Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance Technicians, operators for the Unmanned Aerial Systems, and C4i operators for effective platform manning.

Director General of the agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh, who made the pledge, spoke in Lagos during the graduation ceremony of pilots and other air assets trainees under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure.

Dr Jamoh said the graduation of the air assets crew was another significant leg of the Deep Blue Project, which he described as “our grand intervention in the area of our nation’s maritime security.”

He appreciated the Nigerian Airforce for its commitment to the project with particular reference to providing facilities for in- country training of the pilots and others to complete the training module, having successfully completed the technical component abroad.

“The challenge is not about deploying the assets but about their maintenance and sustaining the tempo of the project so that it can outlive the present generation and continue to be of benefit to future generations.

 “The progress made so far is encouraging, the intelligence gathering within the maritime domain has reached new heights with recent video evidence of improper ballast water discharge in the nation’s waters.

“This project as you are aware, is the first of its kind and we are doing so many things for the first time as a civilian agency of the government working with the armed forces. Our commitment is unflinching”, he said.

The  NIMASA DG therefore reiterated the agency’s commitment to effective management of the assets under the project.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, who also spoke at the event, said that the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project has strategically repositioned the Nigeria Air Force to effectively support NIMASA to provide an investment-friendly environment through the provision of adequate security.

Represented by the Chief of Training and Operations of the Airforce, Air Vice Marshal JMD Gwani, Air Marshal Amao commended the management of NIMASA for its commitment to seeing through the successful implementation of the Deep Blue Project in the country and the Gullf of Guinea region.

He said: “I must say that the graduation of these Nigerian Air Force personnel today who will be operating alongside personnel from sister security agencies resonates with the Chief of Air Staff’s vision to enhance and sustain airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of national imperatives. I am glad to note that all these have strategically repositioned the Nigerian Air Force to effectively support NIMASA to provide an investment-friendly maritime environment through provision of adequate security”.

On his part, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Honorable Lucky Aiyedatiwa Commended the synergy between NIMASA and the Nigerian Armed forces to secure the nations territorial waters and beyond.