By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, says over 40 per cent of the Nigerian Army personnel are without accommodation.

Oluyede made this known on Thursday, during the inauguration of the newly constructed ?Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks? Asokoro, Abuja.

He said, ?Your Excellency may recall that on 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 per cent of Nigerian Army personnel are not accommodated.?

He said that the Nigerian army still faced an acute shortage of accommodation, which must be addressed as they continue to defeat insecurity nationwide and reintegrate frontline troops into the barracks.

According to him, the project being inaugurated is only the phases one and two of the original plan.

?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.

?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,? he said.

The COAS thanked President Tinubu for his commitment and passion for ensuring that men and women in uniform had affordable, decent, and befitting accommodation to live while in service.

He said that naming the new and modern army barracks after President Tinubu was just a humble way of giving honour to whom honour is due.

Oluyede said that it was an appreciation of his extraordinary support and commitment to improving the welfare and operational needs of the army, particularly in reducing its accommodation burden.

He said that the barracks project was initiated and executed by his predecessors Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahya and Late Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who recognised the critical need for additional accommodation for the increasing number of Nigerian Army establishments in Abuja.

Oluyede added that they both took the bold step to initiate the construction of the barracks.

?Today, we celebrate the visionary leadership and relentless efforts that created the foundation for us to complete and commission this project,? he said. (NAN)

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