Nigerian Navy Boost Infrastructure, Healthcare In Gombe Community

The Nigerian Navy yesterday inaugurated a newly constructed five-bedroom corps members’ lodge and a renovated dispensary at Malam-Sidi Community in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State.

The projects were executed under the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme to support community development and strengthen civil-military cooperation.

The projects were also undertaken in honour of Rear Adm. Suleiman Abdullahi, Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters, Abuja, and facilitator of the projects.

The Chief of Naval Staff,  Vice Adm. Idi Abbas was represented at the inauguration by Rear Adm. Mohammed Dahiru, Director, Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Naval Headquarters.

Dahiru said the intervention demonstrated the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to addressing critical needs in communities across the country.

He said the Nigerian Navy recognised that the security and prosperity of the nation were strengthened when communities were empowered through meaningful development.

According to him, the understanding continued to guide the Navy’s civil-military cooperation efforts and the CNS Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme.

He said the scheme was designed to address critical community needs while fostering stronger bonds between the Armed Forces and the people they served.

Dahiru said the projects were timely and impactful, noting that access to essential infrastructure remained a key driver of socio-economic development.

He said the construction of the five-bedroom corps members’ lodge and renovation of the dispensary would improve the quality of life of residents, support healthcare delivery and provide a conducive environment for corps members serving in the community.

He urged the beneficiaries to protect and maintain the facilities to ensure their sustainability for present and future generations.

The representative commended Rear Adm. Abdullahi for identifying the critical needs of the community and utilising the opportunity and funds provided under the CNS Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme to deliver the projects.

He described the initiative as an example of impactful leadership, noting that it demonstrated how commitment to community development could translate into tangible benefits for the people.

He also appreciated the Gombe State government, the leadership of Malam-Sidi Community, traditional rulers, community leaders, contractors, the project team and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful completion of the projects.

Dahiru assured that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of  Naval Staff would continue to strengthen civil-military cooperation and support initiatives that promoted peace, security, social cohesion and national development.

He said the Navy would continue to partner with communities across the country in ways that fostered peace, security and progress.

In his welcome address, the facilitator Rear Adm. Abdullahi, said the idea of constructing the corps members’ lodge was conceived after Operation Safe Corridor took over the NYSC camp at Malam-Sidi.

He said the camp was located directly opposite Government Secondary School, Malam-Sidi, adding that following its takeover, the student population of the school began to decline due to the presence of the facility and other related challenges.

According to him, the development prompted the state government to close the school and establish a day secondary school at a different location away from the original site.

“As a result, corps members posted to Malam-Sidi no longer had accommodation, since the former school facility was no longer functioning.

“To address this challenge, the decision to embark on the project was conceived, and the corps members’ lodge was constructed within the premises of Government Day Secondary School to provide accommodation for corps members posted to the area,” he said.

Abdullahi said the project was intended to address the accommodation challenges faced by corps members posted to the community and ensure that they had a suitable place to stay while carrying out their national service.

In his speech, the Special Guest of Honour, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr Manassah Jatau, commended the Nigerian Navy for the intervention.

Jatau called on the people of Malam-Sidi to take ownership of the projects and ensure that the facilities were properly maintained.(NAN)