STRUCTURE

The Nigerian Navy is structured into a Naval Headquarters made up of the Office of the CNS and 8 staff branches each administered by a Branch Chief of flag rank.
These branches are:

  • Policy and Plans
  • Training and Operations
  • Naval Engineering
  • Logistics
  • Account & Budget
  • Naval Safety and Standards
  • Administration
  • Office of the Navy Secretary

There are offices that report directly to the CNS, these include Nigerian Navy Transformation Office (NNTO), Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (PIMED) and Nigerian Navy Holdings.

There are 5 commands headed by Flag Officers Commanding (FOCs) and 5 autonomous units.

The commands are made up of 3 operational commands namely: Western, Eastern and Central Naval Commands (WNC, ENC and CNC) which are responsible for the protection and policing of the nation’s maritime environment; a Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) and a Logistics Command (LOG COMD). The autonomous units are the Nigerian Naval Dockyard (NND), Nigerian Naval Shipyard (NNSY), the Naval Ordnance Depot (NOD), Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited (NNHL) and Naval Doctrine and Assessment Centre (NDAC). The NND and NNSY carry out third line maintenance and docking of NN ships while the NOD stores NN arms and ammunition and a limited storage for the NA, NAF and some paramilitary units. These units and facilities enable the NN to maintain the fleet for sustained operations.

NIGERIAN NAVY POST SERVICE HOUSING SCHEME

Over the years, Nigerian Navy was confronted with problems of post retirement homes for its personnel. This necessitated the muting of the idea amongst others, for the establishment of a housing scheme. In 2005, the Nigerian Navy Post Service Housing Scheme (NNPSHS) was established to tackle the housing issues experienced by its personnel.

NNPSHS commenced work at the Navy Estate Phase 1 with 8 officer, 11 Ratings and about 100 civilian artisans.  At present, there are 13 officers, 14 ratings and 17 civilian staff.

The Navy Estate phase 1 is designed to comprise 900 units of various houses types such as 2 bedroom semi-detached bungalows, 3 bedroom twin bungalow, 3 bedroom detached bungalow, 4 bedroom standard bungalow, 4 bedroom luxury  bungalow and the 4 bedroom detached duplexes.  Furthermore, some serviced plots were earmarked for sale to commodores and above to enable them construct houses with designs of their choice.

Level of Work

The original estate design was for about 500 housing units.  However, due to continuous demands by subscribers, additional land was acquired for the expansion of the phase 1 estate project.  Presently, the estate has over 500 units of various housing units fully completed.  About 250 units are at finishing stages while the remaining 150 are at various level of completion from DPC to lintel levels.  The level of work has greatly been a function of payment made by the various subscribers.

Access Road

At the moment, 7km of internal road have been completed with asphalt tarring while work is continuing in the remaining roads. Similarly, a comprehensive drainage system was designed for the estate.  To this, over 20km of drainage have been completed.  The remaining are still under construction.  It is noteworthy to observe that at the inception of the development of the estate, there was no access road to the estate.  Consequently, a 2.5km dual lane was constructed to link the estate with the karu-karshi expressway.  Furthermore, a 2.6km HT line was also installed to bring in electricity from the National Electric Power Grid to the estate.

Electric Lines

During the installation of the electrical lines, NNPSHS insisted on the installation of the newly introduced pre-paid meters, for the estate.  Presently, the meters have been installed in almost all the completed houses in the estate.  When others are completed, they will equally be installed with the meters.  The estate is also being completed with street lightening.  So far, almost all these roads have street lights installed.  These do not just provide means for, ease of movement at night but also a measure of security for residents of the estate.

Distribution Method of Houses.

NNPSHS was very mindful of the fact that it was primarily established to provide access to affordable accommodation for both serving and retired personnel.  Consequently, military personnel including NN personnel got 60% of the houses.  The remaining 40% was given to interested non-military subscribers.  It is also worthy of note that a majority of military subscribers applied for mortgage loans to purchase the houses.  NNPSHS consequently arranged and facilitated the timely provision of these loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigerian (FMBN) through SunTrust Savings and Loans Limited at an interest rate of 6%, the lowest rate ever enjoyed by any FMBN mortgage.  More than 200 military personnel who subscribed requested for mortgage facility after initial down payment of 10% equity as against 30% usually demanded by other Primary Mortgage Institution (PMI).  Out of these numbers, over 60 have been approved. Fund for 32 have been disbursed to NNPSHS while funds for 28 are yet to be disbursed.  It is hoped that more approvals will come during the next Board Meeting of the FMBN.

External Jobs/Contracts

Apart from the Navy Estate phase 1, the company is also engaged in the construction of an ultra-modern business park at Asokoro to be known as Navy Holdings Business Park.  The park will contain a hotel, office, spaces, banking halls, the head office of the Navy micro-credit finance bank and the NNHL.  At the moment a bungalow comprising of 11 office spaces is almost completed for the initial office of the above mentioned companies of the NN.

Similarly, the NDC has awarded a contract to NNPSHS to repair its road at Ushafa Barracks, Bwari.  Assessments and mobilization will commence as soon as all modalities for them are put in place.

NNPSHS is also in talk with a stone crushing company for the crushing of the rock at NN barrack, Kuje.  The idea is to crush the rocks and sell them this will enable more land and at the same time generate funds for the company.

Assets/Liabilities.

NNPSHS has been able to acquire some assets over the years while avoiding owing any bank/creditor.  However, the NOWA education centre constructed by NNPSHS is considered as a liability for the company.  It suffice to note that NNPSHS constructed the centre to the tune of over N500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira) only.

Corporate Responsibilities

The place of corporate responsibility in enhancing cordial relationship between host communities and a company cannot be overemphasized.  With this at the background, NNPSHS has from inception recognized the need to embrace and allow itself to be embraced by its host communities in particular and the entire state in general.  Consequently, NNPSHS has engaged in community development such as construction or expansion of roads limit the various surrounding communities where there were hitherto just lanes barely wide enough for two individuals to pass at a time; NNPSHS has also re-constructed a modern bridge along Rafin Kwara – Uke road.  At a time the bridge was a death trap and impassable.  Furthermore, NNPSHS constructed a borehole the Papaladna and the Fulani communities respectively.  During the relocation of the Fulani herdsmen from portions of the Navy Estate land, NNPSHS provided transportation to enable them relocate from the Estate land.

It is of note that NNPSHS continuous to maintain roads around the various communities.  Only recently, it carried out such work on the road between Papaladna and Loko and from Papaladna to the estate.  It is expected that NNPSHS will continue to promote the good neighbourliness and enhance its corporate responsibilities where ever it finds itself, this is more particularly so as all its effort have been recognized and praised by the government of Nasarawa State and the entire people of the state in general.

 

Residency Level

At the inception of the estate, it was believed that a shorter road linking the Karshi/estate area to the centre of Abuja through the Apo District axis would be completed before the estate was finished and ready to take up residence.  It is unfortunate that the Karshi-Apo road is still far from being finished.  Residents of the estate are therefore forced to continue taking the torturous Karu-Nyanya road, suffering the hardship of the constant traffic jam and unbearable wear and tear to their vehicles.  While this problem has made earlier residents to move out of the estate, it has made others refused to take residency.  Thus, the Estate is full of fully completed but locked up houses.  This has had its negative toll on the estate and costs of landlord willing to let their houses are not getting tenants.  This is a major challenge.

In attempt to tackle the problem of easy access to Abuja, The GMD visited the Minister of the FCT several times to solicited for the completion of the     Karshi-Apo by pass.  All that have been given is unfulfilled promises.  This is a major challenge to NNPSHS.  It is hoped that when the Karshi-Apo road is constructed and opened for traffic, the estate will become fully occupied. It has also been noted that the absence of the road could affect the level of patronage in the Navy Estate phase 2 projects.  This calls for why concerted effort is being made by NNHL to get the government to complete the Karshi-Apo road.