The National Agency for Science and Engineering infrastructure (NASENI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy to train 100 navy engineers in the areas of electrical,marine, mechanical, mechatronics as well as naval architecture.
The Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna in his remarks at the signing ceremony said the agreement will enable the agency and the Navy to save the country foreign exchange by producing locally what is needed.
“The most important component of this working together with the Nigerian Navy is to save the country’s foreign exchange and produce what is needed locally and to enhance security. Because when we develop our equipment locally,it is in itself security”
He commended the Nigerian Navy efforts in research and development and pledged to be fully active in the Nigerian Navy projects of building its own ships.
The Chief of the Naval Staff,Vice Admiral Auwal Gambo commended the contributions of NASENI to changing the dynamics of engineering, as well as facilitating research and development initiatives at every sector of human endeavor in Nigeria.
He commended the efforts of NASENI in collaborating with the Navy in research geared towards refining Nigerian Navy local shipbuilding construction efforts and fabrications For the maritime industry.
He said “this indigenous shipbuilding effort has enhanced presence of the Nigerian Navy at sea. Which led to significant reduction of piracy incidents culminating into delisting of Nigeria from list of International Maritime Bureau (IMB),Which ultimately reduced high insurance premium which is known as. Risk premium. And the risk premium is usually factored into shipping costs due to prevalence of piracy incidences around any part of the world.
“These high costs are passed on the consumers, you and I. These enables shipping companies recoup their losses, as it were. Now the good news is that… The insurance premium has been reduced from 5000 United States dollars. To 946 United States dollars”.
Earlier,The Chief of Naval Engineering Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Suleiman Dauda El-Ladan said the partnership was aimed “to harmonize our capacity as well as to utilize the available manpower and infrastructural capacity for the Nigerian Navy, as well as that of NASENI to take ownership of engineering and technical development for this our great country and Nigeria”.
He explained that the document was developed by both the Nigerian Navy and NNASEN,adding that under Article 5 of the document, there shall be constituted a Joint Implementation Committee as a standing committee for implementation of the terms of this MOU.
