The Federal Government has flagged off the construction of a six-man rank-and-file residential quarters for police personnel at Ozalla, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, as part of efforts to improve the welfare and operational efficiency of the Nigeria Police Force.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Tuesday at the Ozalla Police Station, was undertaken by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) in collaboration with the Enugu State Government and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NPTF, Muhammed Sheidu, said the project aligns with the security sector reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that poor accommodation has for years affected the morale and effectiveness of police officers nationwide.
He explained that the six-man quarters are part of a broader nationwide intervention by the Trust Fund, covering the construction and rehabilitation of police barracks, training institutions, and other welfare-focused infrastructure.
“The construction of this accommodation here in Ozalla is a deliberate effort to address the longstanding housing gap faced by police personnel. A well-housed police officer is more motivated, focused, and effective,” he said.
The NPTF boss also commended the Enugu State Government for providing the land for the project, calling it a symbol of partnership and shared responsibility in strengthening security.
In an address delivered on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, by the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, the IGP expressed appreciation for the NPTF’s intervention, describing it as timely and impactful.
According to the IGP, the project will significantly boost morale, improve working conditions, and enhance operational efficiency for officers serving in Ozalla and across the wider Enugu State Command.
He assured that the Nigeria Police Force would provide all necessary support to ensure the project is completed on schedule and to standard.
While commending the initiative, the Enugu State Command urged the Trust Fund to extend similar interventions to other police facilities in the state, including the renovation of a dilapidated six-man quarters near the site and the construction of a suitable headquarters for the Agbani Area Command.
The Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, Chief John Ogbodo, lamented the poor living conditions of police officers in the area, describing the existing facilities as an eyesore.
He thanked the NPTF and the Enugu State government for responding to the officers’ plight through the new project.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Ishi Ozalla Community, Igwe Sylvanus Okeke, described the project as a historic turnaround for the community, noting that the police station, established in the 1970s, had long been underutilised for lack of infrastructure.
The President General of Ishi Ozalla Community, Obiora Okwuibe, called for sustained support for the Ozalla Police Station, given its strategic role along the busy Enugu–Port Harcourt Road, and urged the contractor to deliver a structure that would stand the test of time.
