Chiemelie Ezeobi
The Nigerian Navy has expanded its community intervention drive with the inauguration of three solar-powered boreholes in Ward F2, Surulere, Lagos State, providing residents with access to potable water while strengthening the service’s civil-military relationship with the community.
The project, executed under the Chief of the Naval Staff Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme, was inaugurated on Friday in honour of the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, who hails from the community.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who was unavoidably engaged in national security matters, was represented at the ceremony by the Chief of Naval Transformation, Rear Admiral Chijioke Onyemaobi.
Representing Abbas, Onyemaobi said the initiative reflected the Navy’s commitment to building stronger relationships with host communities through projects that respond directly to their needs.
He said the Nigerian Navy recognised that national security and development were closely linked to the wellbeing of communities, stressing that meaningful engagement with the people could strengthen trust, information sharing and cooperation.
According to him, the Navy’s civil-military cooperation strategy was designed not only to enhance security but also to contribute to the socio-economic development of communities across the country.
He described the Surulere project as timely, noting that access to potable water remained a critical component of public health, sanitation, education, commerce and general community development.
Onyemaobi urged residents to take ownership of the facilities, protect them from vandalism and ensure proper maintenance to guarantee their continued use by present and future generations.
He commended Ogunleye for identifying potable water as a priority need in his community and using the opportunity provided by the intervention scheme to deliver a project with direct and lasting benefits to residents.
He also appreciated the Lagos State Government, Surulere Local Government, traditional institutions, community leaders, contractors, the Community Development Association and other stakeholders for their support towards the successful completion of the project.
The Chief of Naval Transformation explained that the Special Intervention Quick Impact Project was designed specifically to enable senior naval officers, particularly Rear Admirals, contribute to the development of communities with which they had strong ties.
He said beneficiaries were encouraged to engage their communities and identify pressing needs before selecting projects, which could range from water supply and electricity to roads, healthcare and education.
According to him, the initiative also recognises the fact that senior military officers are nearing the peak of their careers and would eventually return to their communities after service, making such interventions an avenue to sustain their connection with the people.
He added that the geographical spread of senior officers across Nigeria also ensured that the scheme could contribute to development in communities across the six geopolitical zones.
Ogunleye, in his remarks, expressed appreciation to Abbas for giving him the opportunity to return to the community where he was born and raised and contribute to its development.
He said a needs assessment was conducted in consultation with community leaders and the Community Development Association before the project was commenced, leading to the selection of potable water as the community’s priority.
The serving Rear Admiral said the intervention comprised three solar-powered boreholes, three 12,000-litre water storage tanks mounted on structural steel stands and filtration units installed at strategic locations within the community.
Ogunleye recalled that potable water was once readily available in the community, with virtually every household connected to pipe-borne water, and expressed optimism that the new facilities would help restore access to safe water.
He urged residents to protect and maintain the facilities, stressing that proper care would encourage further interventions and ensure that the infrastructure continued to serve the community for years to come.
The Executive Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Hon. Sulaiman Bamidele Yusuf, commended Ogunleye and the Nigerian Navy for bringing the project to the community, promising that the council would support its maintenance and ensure that residents used the facilities responsibly.
Yusuf said the project demonstrated the benefits of sustained civil-military cooperation, adding that the local government and community would continue to seek further partnerships with the Nigerian Navy to attract additional development projects to Surulere.
He described the provision of potable water as a significant contribution to the community, noting that the facilities would improve residents’ access to safe water and strengthen the relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the people of Ward F2.