Hyacinth Chinweuba
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, has commended her Pakistan counterpart over the training of the officers of the Nigerian Navy.
Gbasa, made the commendation when Mission Commander, Parkistan Navy Ship Alamgir led by Commodore Azhar Mahmood SI (M)- Mission Commander Overseas Deployment around Africa, Col Iftikhar- Pakistan Defence Adviser and Captain Bilal Ahmed Sana – Commanding Officer PNS ALAMGIR paid a courtesy visit to the Western Naval Command.
Gbasa, represented by the Chief Staff Officer, Rear Admiral Habila Zakaria, noted that the visit will also help the two countries cement their relationship.
He nevertheless said that there is a huge difference between officers of the Nigerian Navy trained in Pakistan adding that a whole lot of them are doing better.
“While as a Command, Western Naval Command which happens to be the premier Command of the Nigerian Navy it is the privilege to host you all this morning and we are happy to receive you”
He said: “Coming here is what we have been looking forward to and it is our sincere hope and desire that the objectives for which you are here with us will be met and that this will also cement the collaboration between the Pakistan government and the Nigeria government”
“We all know that the Navy is universal, we all have the same training, the same kind of quality education having you here to do a token of the medical camp which you want to gives it to us, we are excited about it and happy about it and that which you have brought to us willingly, we are receiving it with two hands and we are happy about it” added Gbasa.
“I think both Pakistan and Nigeria Navies have a lot of areas where we have collaboration that through training in particular and many of our officers are beneficiaries of training from Pakistan and to be very frank with you we have seen some improvements from the officers from some that has studied in Pakistan. So it is something that we are also beneficiary of it and we are happy about it”
According to him, “Am also aware that we are likely going to have an exercise with your ship and I think in that aspect too is going to be the area where we further cement this training with the Pakistan navy. It is my hope and desire that there will be a good exchange of ideas”
Also speaking, Azhar Mahmoud, said that the people of Parkistan has a good relationship with Nigeria and are looking for more collaborations in future.
He said that in the course of the two days meeting they will discuss on how to improve the country’s relationship with Nigeria.
Mahmoud also said that the have a team of special doctors who will give free medicines to the populace.
“While we are here we have a team of very special doctors with us and we are going to have free medicines to even the locals. It’s just a token of love and it shows our intension and the food wishes from the people of Parkistan to Nigeria and we think that Nigeria is the most important country in Africa. We wish Africans and Nigeria more success and we see that our relationship will be more successful in the future more than it is now” he added.