The Lagos State Government has initiated a partnership with the Nigeria Police Force to remodel 25 barracks belonging to the Force across Lagos State.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka gave this indication at a press conference held at Nigeria Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos.
Mrs. Benson-Awoyinka stated that the officials of the Nigeria Police Force across the nation and their families deserve better habitation and befitting model infrastructure amenities at the barracks to enhance their service delivery.
She stressed that the State Government would facilitate all planning works and building approvals needed for the realization of the projects and would also make sure that buildings are constructed to acceptable standards.
The initiation of the regeneration plans, according to Benson-Awoyinka, shows that both the federal and the State Government takes the welfare of the security operatives seriously.
“The governments are passionate about the welfare of the members of the force, hence necessitated the regenerations of these barracks within Lagos State,” she stated.
She however appreciated the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Nigerian Government through the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Aikali Baba for putting heads together for this initiative of giving a facelift to Nigeria Police barracks in Lagos State.
Prevent collapse
The Special Adviser E-GIS and Planning Matters to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, mentioned that the move to regenerate the barracks would help prevent building collapse, as the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA had severally certified some Police Barracks in the State as unfit for habitation.
While recalling that LASBCA recently published the list of some distressed properties in the newspapers for the awareness of affected property owners before demolition, Dr. Babatunde called on occupants of distressed buildings in any part of the state to willingly vacate such buildings for public safety.
Enhance Productivity
Speaking earlier, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, commended the proposal by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Akali Baba to modernize Police barracks with Lagos State Government to enhance the overall welfare of police personnel and create a conducive environment for officers to carry out their duties and responsibilities with honour and self-esteem in the State.
CSP Adejobi said that the initiative by the Inspector General of Police was timely as it was fundamental to address the longstanding issue of poor and dilapidated infrastructures within facilities occupied by Police personnel as part of efforts to ensure improved working conditions for more effective and efficient service delivery.
The Force Public Relations Officer stated that the Inspector-General of Police has announced plans for series of sensitization and relocation efforts for police personnel living in the affected barracks from Monday 1st – Wednesday 31st May, 2023.
“The press briefing is part of the sensitization process with the intention of creating transparent dialogue between not only the affected occupants with other Police personnel but to the general public, in order to avoid misinformation about the rationale behind the project.
“With the successful planning of these projects, potential officers deployed to Lagos State Police Command upon completion of the buildings will be living in a modernized facilities that will add values to the State’s social, economic and environmental profile to the Nigeria Police Force.
“Plans have also been concluded to foot the alternative accommodation cost of all legal residents of the affected barracks with the payment of two(2) years rent when construction works in these will end.” he said
Adejobi said that the Inspector-General of Police has issued directive that those affected living in these Barracks be issued a One Month notice to vacate their accommodation spaces.
He said that the directive would be implemented in stages to ensure that all officially recognized and lawful residents of these affected Barracks are properly catered for.
He added that the Inspector General of Police has provided an assurance that all officers who are on active service and living in these barracks legally, shall receive the keys to the new structure upon completion of the development of the improved housing areas.
Confidence Okwuchi
