The Nigerian Navy has commissioned a dental clinic and Heart-to-Heart Centre in Ikate-Elegushi, Lagos, as part of efforts to expand access to specialised healthcare services and strengthen civil-military relations.
The facilities were commissioned under the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme, an initiative designed to address critical community needs and deepen cooperation between the Armed Forces and host communities.
Representing the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, at the ceremony, the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, said the Navy regarded community development as an important component of its civil-military cooperation efforts.
Mustapha said the Chief of the Naval Staff would have attended the ceremony but was unavoidably engaged in matters of national security.
He said the intervention reflected the Navy’s commitment to supporting projects capable of improving the welfare of communities.
“The Nigerian Navy recognises that the security and prosperity of our nation are strengthened when communities are empowered through meaningful development,” he said.
According to him, the Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme was established to address critical community needs while fostering stronger relationships between the Armed Forces and the people they serve.
He described the newly commissioned facilities as timely, noting that improved oral healthcare, access to antiretroviral therapy and counselling could contribute to the quality of life and socio-economic development of residents.
Mustapha urged members of the community to protect and maintain the facilities to ensure that they remained useful to present and future generations.
He also commended retired Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira for identifying the healthcare needs of his community and using the opportunity provided by the Chief of the Naval Staff’s intervention scheme to facilitate the project.
According to him, Ferreira’s commitment to the development of the community was reflected in the successful completion of the facilities.
“Leadership is most meaningful when it positively impacts the lives of others,” he said.
The FOC also acknowledged the contributions of the Lagos State Government, the traditional institution, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, community leaders, contractors, the project team and other stakeholders involved in the project.
He said the collaboration demonstrated that partnerships between government institutions, the military and local communities could produce interventions capable of supporting sustainable development.
Mustapha further assured that the Nigerian Navy would continue to support initiatives aimed at promoting peace, security, development and social cohesion across the country.
He congratulated the people of Ikate-Elegushi on the commissioning and expressed the Navy’s hope that the facilities would provide healthcare benefits to residents for many years.
The dental clinic is expected to improve access to oral healthcare services in the community, while the Heart-to-Heart Centre will provide an environment for HIV-related counselling and antiretroviral treatment services.
The commissioning represents another intervention by the Nigerian Navy under its civil-military cooperation programme, with the emphasis on addressing community needs beyond the Navy’s conventional security responsibilities.
