Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State restated on Thursday the commitment of his government to the welfare of security personnel safeguarding the lives and properties of its citizens.
Sanwo-Olu said this at the sod-turning ceremony for the construction of 2,200 housing units by the Lagos State government for the Nigerian Police Force at the demolished site of Obalende barracks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2,200 housing units comprise one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom apartments with sewage, streetlights, and a car park.
Sanwo-Olu said the project was part of the redevelopment and regeneration of the state in line with his administration’s THEMES Plus agenda.
“We are committed to the welfare of our security personnel—our policemen and women—who are serving the nation, safeguarding our lives and properties.
“It concerns us as a people; it concerns us as a government if we want to make a difference.
“I’m happy we took this bold step to demolish to rebuild because we don’t want any catastrophe in police barracks.
“It’s easy for us to look the other way, but we said no, not on our watch.
“We want to ensure affordable, decent industrial housing units are available for Lagosians in line with our THEMES plus agenda,” he said.
The governor said that so far the government has handed over 21 housing estates in various parts of the city.
“So, now it is the turn of the Nigeria Police and their barracks,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu 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.
He urged other state governments to emulate the template to rebuild all police barracks across the country.
In his remarks, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, said that most police barracks in the country were in a dilapidated state having been constructed over 50 years ago.
He commended the Lagos State government for the initiative to boost the morale of security personnel in the state.
The IGP expressed optimism that the new police housing units would motivate officers to serve Lagosians more efficiently and promised to personally supervise the project.
Dr. Olajide Babatunde, the Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, said that 4,400 police officers and their families resident in the demolished barracks were evacuated and have been compensated. (NAN)
