AIG Bala Hassan in charge of Zone 2 said in Lagos on Thursday that the Police High Command had introduced better welfare package for its officers and men.

Hassan made the assertion during a visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Lagos office.

The zone comprises Lagos and Ogun states. Hassan took over in September from AIG Matthew Mbu, who has been redeployed to Police College.

According to him, the initiatives are morale boosters to the officers and men.

“As directed by the I-G, when we send our men out on patrol on the highways, we give them rations and water to satisfy their hunger as they cannot get such things to buy in the bush.

“We also send officers to go and monitor their welfare and such officers do not go there empty-handed.

“This is happening for the first time as part of the welfare package.”

He said the police authorities were building houses across the country, using their personnel in the various engineering fields.

The AIG said the initiative was part of efforts aimed at ensuring that officers had their own houses before retirement.

“The IG has also commenced police housing scheme and this is different from what others have done.

“How can a junior officer get money to build a house worth N5 to N6 million?

“The IG has made our housing and works department vibrant because we have graduates in the force that read architecture and other related engineering courses.

“He has assembled them to constructs the houses and since they are paid salaries, they are not going to be paid any workmanship.”

Hassan disclosed that the project had commenced in three states and would extend to other state soon.

He said: “They have started constructing houses for officers in Kastina, Edo and one other state.

“The idea is to ensure that officers get houses at very cheap rates.

“Once you are sure that after retirement you have a place of your own, the officer will not molest people here and there.

“These are some of the things the I-G has packaged as welfare for our men so that they can perform better.”

On compensation to families of officers who died in active service, Hassan said N57 million was doled out to them on October 28 in Lagos.

“This will enable the families to continue to take care of the children left behind by the deceased officers.

“It is a form of insurance, and we warned them that the money was not for frivolities … it is for the school fees of the children.”

Hassan also disclosed that the police had unveiled a health programme for officers and men.

“The IG has directed that every police officer whose father, mother, wife, children or any relation has any terminal disease should be treated here in Nigeria free instead of going to India.

“The treatment covers diseases such as cancer and others.

“The hospital can ask them to bring N5 million or N10 million and there is no way such officers can raise that kind of money and that is another form of welfare.”

On scholarships, Hassan said the police had begun doling out of scholarships to children of policemen who excel in public examinations.

“Police have created a scholarship programme for children of junior officers.

“The scholarship will cover their education from secondary school to the university level.” (NAN)

•Photo shows IGP Arase.

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