“There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home” – Rosalynn Carter
It is easy to understand how living in a deplorable place, receiving low pay, and working in unfavourable conditions in police stations could negatively impact officers’ physical and mental well-being, encourage corrupt behaviour, and even cause them to lose compassion for the public they are sworn to protect.
Police officers and their families lived in squalor, characterised by large cracks in the wall, bat-infested houses, and leaking roofs, among others.
Housing barracks, as the name suggests, are designed to meet the housing requirements of paramilitary and military organisations. Sadly, these housing barracks do not provide a comfortable place to live for the numerous men and women of the Nigeria Police Force and may even be harmful to the occupants.
The deplorable living conditions of the police officers had dampened their morale and productivity, hence the initiative of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to convene a maiden summit focused on addressing the critical challenges of police housing in the country.
A good living condition is important for optimal service delivery, as housing is a fundamental physiological human need and the foundation for developing higher human motivation.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun has made it a top priority to ensure that every police officer has access to decent and affordable housing, hence the Nigeria Police Housing Summit.
As the Nigeria Police Housing Summit kicks start tomorrow, 22nd April 2024 in Abuja, I hope to see it bringing together key stakeholders in the housing sector, including government officials, policymakers, developers, advocates, and community members, to discuss and address pressing housing issues.
In addition, I hope to see cutting-edge approaches, best practices, and information exchanged around affordable housing, sustainable development, and urban planning. Recognising obstacles to affordable and accessible housing and cooperating to create plans of action and methods to get over them.
To promote a comprehensive approach to housing policy and development, the summit should also encourage communication and cooperation between various sectors and disciplines. This will help to raise awareness of the significance of housing as a fundamental human right and its effects on social equity, health, and well-being.
Above all, to increase capacity and enhance housing sector results, the Police Housing Summits ought to promote networking, collaboration, and information sharing among attendees.
To sum up, the Summits ought to stimulate thought-provoking debates, provide new perspectives, and motivate action to solve the housing crisis and build more inclusive and sustainable communities.
There is no doubt that IGP Egbetokun is fully prepared to improve the quality of housing for Nigeria Police personnel and ensure that they have a comfortable and safe living environment.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached at 08166240846. E-mail: kennyadewole@gmail.com
