Perm Sec Pledges To Address Post-service Housing Challenge For Veterans

The new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Amb. Gabriel Aduda has promised to work with the services to address the housing deficit and improve the post-service scheme.

He also promised to expedite action on reviewing defence policy as a critical component of national security.

Aduda stated this on Thursday during a familiarisation visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

He said the ministry would continue collaborating with all the services to ensure the policy was quickly reviewed.

According to him, the defence policy review may allow them to see how to make that available in public service rules.

He also promised to work with them to enhance services’ welfare and address deficiencies, especially in housing.

“I am already having meetings in those areas, drawing from international best practices to see how we can have the armed forces better positioned to enjoy stronger welfare provisions in that area.

“One of such is for us to see very quickly if we also can begin to think in mortgage finance. I mean, just as we have the Federal Mortgage Bank, as you know, there has been an excellent positive increase.

“Our civil servants can now take up to N50 million as loans and pay over time.

“So perhaps we need to have one for the military, and if we have it established and run with that, perhaps more of our officers will not only have houses while serving but will have where to retire to,” he said.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa, represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, AVM Sayo Olatunde, thanked the permanent secretary for the visit.

The permanent secretary and his Directors also visited the three services as part of the familiarisation tour.