Navy Partners Akewa Global Services To Revive Burutu Dockyard
By Mariam Sanni, Abuja
Nigerian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Akewa Global Services Limited, AGSL, to revive Burutu dockyard in Delta State.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, in a remark after signing the MoU between Navy Holdings Limited and AGSL in Abuja yesterday, said the objective is to safeguard the nation’s maritime domain for socio-economic activities to thrive.
Besides, Gambo pointed out that the partnership with the Nigerian Navy will revive dock facilities by upgrading and modernising the facilities to support maritime commerce, especially in preparation of the take-off of the regional Sealink Inland Water Cargo Transportation.
“This will greatly assist in the movement of bulk cargoes from Nigeria’s hinterland, thereby boosting the country’s non-oil export, especially solid minerals and agricultural exports,” he added.
The collaboration, according to him, would help to reduce criminal elements and economic saboteurs in the nation’s maritime environment.
“I must therefore express my delight on the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding today which is the beginning of good things and better relationship between both organisations and by extension, the good people of Burutu Community. It is my hope that this collaboration would continue to blossom and yield the expected dividends that could rid the nation’s maritime environment of the activities of criminal elements and economic saboteurs while attracting the desired development to both parties and the nation at large.
“Undoubtedly, this collaboration will position the navy to support government’s development of a sustainable blue economy.”
The naval chief emphasized that efforts to develop Burutu Port and utilise the existing shipyard facility would act as a force multiplier to the Nigerian Navy in ship maintenance and repairs, particularly in the Central Naval Command’s area of responsibility.
He added that it would enhance securing the maritime domain, as well as protection of critical maritime assets therein, noting that the dockyard would be harnessed towards building the needed platforms including barges and small craft.
“I am particularly delighted that Burutu Port and Dockyard built by the colonial masters decades ago, which played an integral role in the lucrative inland waterways transportation up until the early 60s, will come to life,” he stated.
Similarly, the Chairman of Akema Global Services Limited, Chief Kenneth Donye, recalled that Burutu Dockyard was built by the colonial masters during their early trade mission to the Niger Delta Coast in the early 20th century and played a very crucial role in the then lucrative inland waterway transportation.
Donye said the dock has four slipway facility of which three are fully functional.
He added that it also has functional machinist, electrical, carpentry, welding and plumbing workshops that can undertake various repairs and fabrication works for light maritime crafts and barges.
“The partnership with the navy today is to revive this dock by upgrading and modernising the facilities to handle modern maritime challenges, especially in the preparation of the take-off of the Regional Sealink Inland Water Cargo Transportation, which will greatly help in the movement of bulk cargo from Nigeria’s hinterland resulting in a boost of our country’s non-oil export, especially for solid minerals and agricultural exports.
