Facts have emerged as to why the newly acquired United States warship is still in the United States of America as against the original plans for it to set sail for Nigeria shortly after it was donated to the Nigerian Navy by the United States Coast Guards in May this year.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the installation of communication and navigational equipment in the warship, which was renamed NNS Aradu (Thunder), is yet to be completed, thus making it impossible for it to sail till the end of next month.
It was also gathered that the warship, which will leave the shores of California on the 30th August, 2011, will hopefully arrive Nigeria at the end of September.
Sources confirmed that the delay in releasing it was as a result of the painting and installation of gadgets in the ship, noting that the gadgets are brand new, ordered from the manufacturer in the US.
“They have to build some of these gadgets from scratch in line with the specification of the Federal Government of Nigeria. When they go to the drawing board, they have to do it the way the federal government wants it,” a source confirmed.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the first of the three phases of the installation of the equipment in the warship had been completed and the equipment functioned well when Nigerian Navy officers tested it at sea
The second phase of the installation will be completed next week and will be followed by the painting of NNS Aradu (Thunder).
Meanwhile, the federal government has spent almost $8 million on logistics and the refurbishing of the warship, donated to the Nigerian Navy in May this year.
Information has it that the federal government had paid about $8 million to refurbish it, though the money paid was not equivalent to the cost of the purchase of the warship.
It was also revealed that the US government has been co-operating with the Nigerian Naval officers currently undergoing training in California.