COAS Commissions 60-Unit Housing Estate to Boost Troops’ Welfare
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday commissioned a 60-unit Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) Housing Estate in Oyo state, reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s commitment to improving the welfare, morale and post-service security of its personnel.
The housing estate, located at Akobo, in the state was inaugurated alongside a Post Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) Shopping Complex, as part of what the Army described as sustained efforts to place soldiers’ welfare at the centre of its transformation agenda.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Shaibu said the project was a practical expression of the Army’s Soldier First philosophy, stressing that access to decent and affordable housing remained critical to operational effectiveness and dignified retirement.
“Providing affordable home ownership for our soldiers is not a privilege but a necessity. A soldier who is assured of a secure future is more motivated and effective in the line of duty,” the COAS said. “The AHOOAS scheme is designed to ensure that our personnel retire in dignity, with homes in locations of their choice.”
He recalled that the pilot phase of the scheme at Idu, Abuja, delivered over 400 housing units, all of which are currently occupied by serving and retired soldiers and their families. According to him, the success of the pilot informed the expansion of the project to Ibadan, Benin, Jos, Akwa Ibom and other locations nationwide, with plans also underway to fast-track home ownership for Army Warrant Officers.
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The Army chief commended the Oyo State Government for its continued support to military formations and appreciated traditional institutions in the state for promoting peace and civil-military cooperation. He also praised PHDL for its professionalism in delivering the project and acknowledged Family Homes Funds Limited for partnering with the Nigerian Army to construct 50 housing units for widows of fallen soldiers.
Lieutenant General Shaibu urged other state governments to support the scheme through land allocations, noting that affordable housing remained a key pillar of the Army’s welfare and transformation drive, in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PHDL, Major General Isiah Alison (retd.), disclosed that the Ibadan estate comprises 60 housing units—30 two-bedroom apartments for Non-Commissioned Officers and 30 three-bedroom units for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers.
He said five per cent of the houses were allocated free of charge to soldiers who sustained disabilities in the line of duty, while 70 per cent of the units were reserved for personnel at highly subsidised rates.
“Houses built at costs of up to ₦30 million are being sold to soldiers for as low as ₦7.5 million. This is not a commercial venture but a deliberate welfare intervention,” Alison said, adding that similar projects and service shopping complexes were ongoing in other parts of the country to support troops’ families and stimulate local economic activities.
The event was attended by senior military officers, representatives of the Oyo State Government, traditional rulers and beneficiaries of the housing scheme.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, on Friday.
By PRNigeria
