Olukayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has revealed the federal government’s plan to establish a
N100 billion Police Housing Fund in a bid to address the housing challenges faced by officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The announcement was made during the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit held in Abuja on Monday.
The summit, themed “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,” aimed to address the critical issue of housing as an essential welfare tool for the police force.
During his address at the event, the IGP highlighted the objectives of the summit, emphasising the need to provide effective and efficient housing for NPF personnel.
He noted that the proposed Police Housing Fund would play a pivotal role in achieving this goal.
“A critical discussion point will be the establishment of a 100 billion Naira Police Housing Fund.
“Preliminary assessments are underway, and engagements with key players and institutions have begun’, stated the IGP.
The IGP underscored the significance of providing appropriate housing for police officers during and after their service, citing the current housing shortage that affects more than 400,000 members of the force.
He lamented that existing barracks accommodations were largely inadequate and failed to meet the demands of modern policing.
Acknowledging past initiatives by the NPF to address housing shortages, including the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force Property Development and Construction Co Ltd, the IGP stressed the need for a strategic reassessment and revamp of the execution framework to adequately meet officers’ housing needs.
The Nigerian Police Housing Summit, according to the IGP, serves as a critical platform for discussing and developing strategies to provide accessible and affordable housing for both active and retired members of the force.
Sub-themes such as “Accessible Housing: An Indispensable Welfare Tool” and “Pragmatic Solutions for Police Housing” will be explored to foster comprehensive solutions.
The IGP expressed optimism that the summit would pave the way for the swift delivery of quality, cost-effective housing solutions for NPF personnel, marking a renewed hope for police housing in Nigeria.
