Nigerian Army Begins Soldiers’ Home Ownership Scheme

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said the Nigerian Army has commenced a home ownership scheme for all soldiers in the country.

Lagbaja said the “Affordable House Ownership Option for All Soldiers” was to enable the personnel to own two or three bedroom houses at single digit interest.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the COAS said this yesterday in Makurdi in a message to a workshop organised by the Army’s Directorate of Inspection and Compliance.

Represented by the commander of 4 Special Forces Command, Maj.-Gen. Hillary Nzan, the army chief said measures had been put in place to ensure that the scheme did not fail like the previous ones.

“Similar schemes are ongoing for officers and we are trying to facilitate one-digit interest rate loans for our personnel to help them fulfill their home-ownership dream.

“Our medical services are also getting due attention for our troops and their families to access top-notch medicare while we are upscaling our educational facilities to bring back the glorious days of Nigerian Army schools.

“These and several other welfare efforts to keep the morale of our troops high as they discharge their duties,” he said.

The COAS also said attention was being given to the renovation, upgrading and equipping of medical facilities, most especially the Nigerian Army Reference Hospitals in Kaduna and Yaba in Lagos.

He said that the aim was to raise them to international standards for delivery of quality services to troops and their families.

Lagbaja reminded the inspection officers to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure that the projects were successfully executed.

“You must therefore play your part efficiently to ensure no project is neglected.

“I commend the director and Staff of the Directorate of Inspections and Compliance for organising this workshop to prepare those involved, you must therefore ensure the workshop’s impact on your activities accordingly,” he said.

Also, the director of Inspection and Compliance, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Jalo, said that the workshop sought to equip the participants with requisite knowledge and skills in the art of project monitoring and evaluation.

Jalo stated that the overall objective was to ensure that Nigerian Army projects were executed in accordance with national regulations, best practices and international standards. (NAN)