LAGOS — As part of events commemorating the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has officially commissioned 80 newly completed housing units and an ultra-modern recreational facility at Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos.
The commissioning highlights a strategic shift within the naval high command to systematically target and revive long-abandoned infrastructure assets across various naval formations nationwide.
Reviving a Five-Year Legacy of Abandonment
The newly unveiled residential quarters directly address acute accommodation shortages within the Western Naval Command. The projects comprise:
- Junior Ratings Quarters: A 48-unit one-bedroom accommodation block, which had been left abandoned for over five years after construction initially commenced.
- Senior Ratings Apartments: 32 family housing units distributed across 16 blocks of two-bedroom flats. These units had previously remained unusable due to incomplete external engineering works and missing support infrastructure.
- The Dolphin Golf Club House: A newly constructed two-storey recreational facility featuring executive lounges, administrative offices, changing rooms, a bar, and kitchen spaces. The facility was delivered two months ahead of its projected schedule.
According to the Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) WEY, Commodore Mohammed Alhassan, structural integrity was a major priority during rehabilitation. Contractors deployed advanced pile foundation technology to effectively stabilise the waterlogged terrain of the Ojo site, securing the long-term durability of the residential blocks.
Following the finalisation of necessary administrative documentation earlier this year, the central 48-unit block was successfully salvaged and completed within a rapid eight-week construction window starting in March.
Infrastructure Overhaul and Operational Morale
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas stated that the completion of the projects serves as a tangible symbol of the Service’s evolution from modest institutional beginnings into a modern, highly capable maritime force.
”Today’s commissioning reflects our absolute determination to ensure that abandoned but viable projects across the Service are recovered, completed, and put to productive use. We will no longer allow dormant investments to waste away while our personnel face infrastructural gaps.”
— Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of the Naval Staff
The CNS emphasized that prioritizing personnel welfare is directly linked to operational readiness and maritime security. He further noted that the Dolphin Golf Club House would foster critical professional interaction, camaraderie, and strategic collaboration among serving officers, veterans, and international defense partners.
Sustainability and Maintenance Mandate
While expressing gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustained budgetary and institutional support toward modernizing the fleet and shore infrastructure, Vice Admiral Abbas issued a stern warning regarding asset management.
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He charged facility managers and the beneficiaries of the new quarters to maintain an impeccable maintenance culture. Specifically, the CNS urged personnel to practice strict conservation measures regarding electricity and public utilities, warning against wastefulness.
Endorsing the initiative, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, praised the CNS for his focus on grassroots personnel welfare. He assured the naval leadership that the command would enforce strict compliance protocols to ensure the sustainable use and preservation of the newly commissioned facilities.
