Deep Blue Project equipment will be ready by March 2021, says Amaechi

Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said that all equipment needed for the Deep Blue Project would be ready by March 2021.

Amaechi said this on Friday while inspecting the equipment purchased for the Deep Blue Project at Naval Base Ojo in Lagos.

The Deep Blue Project is a NIMASA initiative aimed at the prevention of illegal activities in the Maritime domain.

He said that most of the equipment needed are on ground except for Aircraft and helicopters.

“Only the helicopter and plane is not ready but the rest are on ground, training has started. Hopefully, before March 2021 everything should be concluded.

“We will look at the project to see what is outstanding, what has been supplied then we seek professional advice.

“Now that we are almost at the point of making progress, to finding solution, we need to be patient. The project was tried under Obasanjo, it didn’t work, don’t forget that they tried it under President Goodluck Jonathan. Here you have gentlemen who are trying to make it work, just be patient and give us more time.

“We expect all equipment to arrive by March and we expect that training should be able to end before March.”

The Minister alongside the Minister of Defence, Retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, went on an assessment visit to see the equipment on ground at Ojo.

The equipment includes Antennas for Special Mission Vessel, Drones, Weapon site, CPR kit, C4i Centre, Special Mission vessels, Satellite Communication Centre, among others.

Twenty four Airforce officers are presently in Portugal for a 7-week training, about 88 officers would be trained before March 2021.