SANWO-OLU PERFORMS GROUNDBREAKING OF 2,200 POLICE HOUSING UNITS
On Thursday, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, launched the groundbreaking ceremony for 2,200 police housing units at the Ijeh Police Barracks in Ikoyi, Lagos. This initiative is part of his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of security personnel and protecting the lives and properties of citizens.
The governor explained that the housing project, a collaboration between the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force, marks a significant step in boosting the morale and efficiency of security officers. It is aimed at helping them stay focused on their vital role in ensuring the safety of Lagos.
The development will include both commercial and residential properties, with one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments, maisonettes, and townhouse units. The project will also feature paved roads, drainage systems, sewage tanks, a water treatment plant, street lights, car parks, and electricity plants, among other amenities.
These modern housing units will be equipped with advanced facilities, ensuring comfort, safety, and a supportive environment for police officers and their families.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, speaking at the groundbreaking event attended by Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, emphasized that this collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Government is a joint venture that merges public needs with private-sector efficiency, setting a new standard for the living conditions of police officers.
said the redevelopment of the Police Barrack is in tandem with his administrationās wider socio-economic objectives for the development and revitalisation of the State in ensuring that quantitative, decent, affordable residential, industrial and housing units are available for Lagosians in line with his administrationās THEMES+ agenda.
The Governor, who assured that the project would be completed in the next two years to ensure Police officers in Lagos live in a conducive and comfortable environment to discharge their duties efficiently, urged other State governments to emulate the template to rebuild all Police barracks across the country.
He said: “This transformative redevelopment project to provide 2,200 modern housing units at the Ijeh Police Barracks, Obalende, is part of an intervention aimed at bridging the housing deficit and providing modern, safe housing and a conducive living environment for the officers of the Nigeria Police Force and their families all over the country.
“We have been constructing housing units in various locations within the State to enhance our contribution towards the achievement of the Urban Renewal Initiative, and now with the redevelopment of the Nigeria Police Barracks, we are happy that no one will be left behind when it comes to the provision of adequate housing. Addressing this challenge required innovation and partnerships.
“This project reaffirms our commitment to building a Lagos that works for everyone. It is a Lagos where security personnel, who dedicate their lives to our safety, can live together with their families in unity and with dignity and pride.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his unwavering commitment to the project and championing welfare reforms for the men and women under his command.
Speaking earlier, the Inspector General of Police, who was excited about the housing project, acknowledged that most Police barracks across the country are in dilapidated states as they were constructed over 50 years ago.
Commending the Lagos State Government for the initiative at boosting the morale of security personnel in the state, Egbetokun expressed optimism that the new Police housing units would motivate officers to serve Lagosians more efficiently with a promise to personally supervise the project.
“The construction of the new barracks, which groundbreaking ceremony is taking place here today in Lagos, is a testament to our commitment to providing our officers with a safe, comfortable, and modern living environment.
“This new facility will not only improve the welfare of our officers but also enhance their ability to serve and protect our community,” Egbetokun said.
Dr. Olajide Babatunde, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS, also stated that 4,400 police officers who were displaced from the demolished barracks have been compensated and relocated to temporary accommodations until the project is finished.