The Nigerian Army gifted 20 wounded-in-action soldiers Houses as 400 Housing Units were commissioned under the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers.
The Chief of Army S
taff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, presented the keys to the beneficiaries on Wednesday, 18th December 2024, as part of the Nigerian Army Welfare Scheme project and Affordable Housing Ownership Options for All Soldiers (AHOOS), at Idu in Abuja.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who was the special Guest of Honour at the event, charged other Services of the Armed Forces to key into the project and provide housing units to all ratings and airmen.
He applauded the efforts of the Late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who initiated the project and advanced the welfare of the Nigerian Army personnel leaving a great impact on the personnel.
He acknowledged the new Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede’s drive to continue the project and to ensure that more houses are built for the benefit of the personnel and interested persons.
The CDS said The importance of owning a decent shelter in a soldier’s life cannot be overstated as it promises stability, security and peace of mind , enabling them to focus fully on their duties,” he said.
“The project aligns with the vision of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estate Scheme of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria that every citizen deserves a home and “our personnel must not be left out.”
He stressed that such projects would foster overall development, enhance security and bring socio-economic benefits to the residents as the initiatives not only improve the welfare of personnel but also strengthen the bond between the military and the civilian population.
He recognised and appreciated the governors of Akwa Ibom and Edo State for allocating land in their states for the scheme and solicited for all other governors to allocate land to the Nigerian Army to build houses for soldiers as land in Abuja will not be sufficient to build for all the personnel.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, clarified that the project initiated by the late COAS Lieutenant General Toareed Lagbaja is part of his sound administration philosophy.
He said he keyed into the project because he believes strongly that soldiers are the bedrock of the Nigerian Army, and is a fundamental part of his command philosophy, making a soldier first.
“The objective is primarily to support the dream of every soldier to acquire suitable and befitting post-service living accommodation in their location of choice from the available size options, It is believed that the affordable home ownership option for all soldiers will eventually alleviate the housing challenges of our soldiers,”
“The Idu Abuja phase 1 of the AHOOAS project is a pilot project and it took only 15 months of direct labour to complete. Phase one of this project will house 400 subscribers and their families”
He therefore expressed his commitment to driving the process for the immediate completion of the subsequent phases of the development in Idu, Benin City, Ibadan, and Uyo to deliver on the promises made to soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
Dominica Nwabufo
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