(By Philip Nwosu – LAGOS)
Nigerian Navy personnel who do not acquire swimming skills and cannot swim may find it difficult to be promoted, the naval authorities have said.
The outgoing Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Quorra (NNS QUORRA) Commodore Francis Isaac made revelation during a farewell parade organized by the officers and men of the School explaining that the directive was recently issued by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas.
Commodore Francis, who was moved from the NNS QOURRA as Commandant to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, said that “the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral I.E Ibas recently promulgated an order that all personnel must be able to swim and acquire proficiency certificate that they can swim and it has become a criteria for promotion.”
The Nigerian Navy had in 2014 commenced a compulsory training in swimming for its officers and ratings across the country.
The Force had earlier expressed surprise that a majority of its personnel, including senior and junior cadre do not know how to swim.
The Force said that the move at instituting mandatory swimming for its service members was germane to reducing potential accidents and personnel casualties during operations. It would sustain the training program until all service members and trainees’ are adequately trained.