COAS Restates Commitment To Dignified Living Quarters For Troops

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu has restated commitment to providing dignified living quarters built to modern architectural standards, with access to clean water, reliable power supply, adequate security and a healthy living environment for personnel and their families.

Represented at the inauguration of several projects at Adekunle Fajuyi and Letmauck Cantonments in Ibadan, Oyo State by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army (NA), Maj Gen Auwalu Mahmuda, he said the commissioned quarters were equipped with supporting facilities to enhance their functionality, ensure proper maintenance and promote operational readiness.

He noted that the projects represented more than concrete, steel and mortar, describing them as deliberate investments in human capital, which remains the NA’s most valuable operational asset.

The COAS urged the beneficiaries to uphold a proper maintenance culture, stressing that the longevity of the structures depended on the discipline with which they were managed.

He emphasised that personnel must be held accountable for the care and upkeep of the newly commissioned facilities, warning that failure to do so would defeat their purpose. He reaffirmed the NA’s commitment to prioritising personnel welfare and recognising their sacrifices in the service of national security.

Earlier, Commander, 42 Engineer Brigade, Uchechukwu Okoroji, said the state of the renovated and remodelled structures before the intervention of the COAS was a major welfare concern.

He identified troops’ welfare and sound administration as central to operational effectiveness, adding that the project would boost personnel’s morale and commitment to duty.

Similarly, the Commanding Officer, 81 Battalion, Lt Col Chiemezie Innocent Asogwa, expressed appreciation to the COAS for approving and facilitating the execution of the projects for the battalion.

He stated that the interventions reflected the COAS’s commitment to improving the living and working conditions of personnel and their families in line with his Soldiers First concept. He also thanked the GOC for his strategic guidance and support.

The projects inaugurated included two units of 10-man transit accomodation for Corporal and Below (CBQ), five blocks of 36 family CBQ and two Regimental Sergeant Majors houses for 2 Military Intelligence Brigade and 502 Signal Brigade at Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment.

Others were 81 Battalion Officers’ Mess, sports facilities as well as 3 Bedroom Married Officers Quarters demi-detached duplexes at Letmauck Cantonment Mokola.