By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Chief Of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, has again lamented the shortage of accommodation for Nigerian Army personnel in the country.
Oluyede maintained that over 40 percent of Nigeria’s military officers are without accommodation. Oluyede spoke in Abuja on Thursday during the inauguration of the newly constructed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in the Asokoro district of Abuja.
The COAS said the army faces an acute shortage of accommodation, which must be addressed.
“Your excellency may recall that on the assumption of the office of the chief of army staff, one of the critical issues on the table before you was the fact that about 40 percent of Nigerian army personnel are not accommodated,” Oluyede said at the event in the presence of President Tinubu.
He said the newly inaugurated barracks can only accommodate 614 personnel consisting of 170 officers and 444 soldiers.
“In specific terms, the project comprises 16 major general quarters, 17 brigadier general quarters, 3×20 family major to colonel quarters, 30×20 family lieutenant to captain quarters, and 60×30 family senior non-commissioned officers’ quarters,” he said.
“Others are 6×30 family corporal and below quarters, 40×21 corporal and below quarters. These translate to accommodation for 614 personnel consisting of 170 officers and 444 soldiers and their families.”
The COAS commended Tinubu for his commitment to ensuring that officers of the army enjoy affordable, decent, and befitting accommodations.
He noted that naming the new army barracks after Tinubu was just a “humble way of giving honour to whom honour is due”.
Oluyede said it is an appreciation of the president’s extraordinary support and commitment to improving the welfare and operational needs of the army.
