The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Tuesday commissioned newly completed blocks of flats for officers at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna, reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s commitment to improving the welfare and living conditions of its personnel and their families.
This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.
According to the statement, “the accommodation project was initiated and constructed under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff, as part of sustained efforts to address accommodation needs and enhance the wellbeing of Nigerian Army personnel.”
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the COAS commended the CDS for his foresight and commitment to the provision of quality infrastructure for personnel.
He noted that the project aligned with the Nigerian Army’s broader welfare objectives and contributes significantly to improving morale and operational effectiveness.
The COAS described decent accommodation as an essential component of personnel welfare, stressing that officers and soldiers who enjoy conducive living conditions were better positioned to discharge their constitutional responsibilities with professionalism, dedication and renewed commitment.
He assured that Army Headquarters would continue to pursue infrastructure development across formations and units to progressively reduce the accommodation deficit and improve the quality of life of personnel and their families.
It added that Lieutenant General Shaibu also inspected ongoing construction of additional accommodation for soldiers within Ribadu Cantonment and expressed satisfaction with the progress and standard of work.
The statement further added that the COAS directed the engineers and contractors handling the projects to sustain quality standards while ensuring strict adherence to approved timelines.
He further assured officers and soldiers that the Nigerian Army leadership would continue to prioritise personnel welfare, infrastructure development and training as critical enablers of operational effectiveness and institutional resilience.
The Army Chief urged beneficiaries of the newly commissioned accommodation to take ownership of the facilities through proper maintenance, while remaining steadfast in upholding the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and commitment to duty.