By Richard Anyebe
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has taken a monumental step towards addressing the housing challenges faced by officers in the Nigeria Police Force with the midwifing and launch of the maiden Nigeria Police Housing Summit.
The summit, themed “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,” evidences the IGP’s priority for the welfare of officers through the provision of appropriate, adequate, and affordable housing.
The IGP equally highlights the pressing need to revamp the existing framework for providing housing to Nigeria Police Officers.
With only about 10% of the workforce’s housing needs currently being met, the IGP emphasizes that the summit aims to develop strategies to bridge this gap and ensure accessible and affordable housing for all ranks.
The objectives of the Nigeria Police Housing Summit are ambitious and far-reaching, including articulating a vision for effective housing as an essential welfare tool, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, proposing actionable strategies for rapid delivery of affordable housing, and aligning housing initiatives with sustainable practices.
The housing summit also focusses on the establishment of a 100 billion Naira Police Housing Fund, aimed at financing sustainable housing development for officers. The IGP notes that preliminary assessments and engagements with key stakeholders are already underway in this regard.
The Inspector General of Police expresses gratitude to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Housing, Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, for their leadership in delivering affordable housing to Nigerians.
He similarly assured that the launch of the Nigeria Police Housing Summit is part of a significant step towards realizing his administration’s vision of providing accessible and affordable housing to its officers.