NCS commences housing estates construction

Controller-General-Nigerian-Prisons-Service-Mr-Ja’afaru-Ahmed

Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, Controller-General, Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed.

Controller-General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed.

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, said the Service has commenced its housing estate construction for staff nationwide.

Ahmed said this at the inauguration of the correctional cooperative society (COCOS) housing estate Lugbe, Abuja on Saturday.

He said that COCOS was established to serve as a frontline support that would provide financial succour to the personnel of the NCoS.

He said that the construction was more of a prototype as plans were on ground to replicate same in all the states of the Federation in order to give opportunity to officers to own decent and affordable accommodation.

According to him, the housing estate is a product of the partnership and collaboration between the NCoS represented by the COCOS and KYC inter-project limited.

“The estate comprises 160 plots which have been distributed among interested staff whose take -home pay could accommodate the required monthly deductions.

“It is indeed an estate within a mega estates; this is our own way of complementing Government’s efforts at meeting the housing needs of its citizenry,” he said.

Ahmed, however, urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the rare opportunity by living up to expectations.

He reiterated commitment to providing the leadership required to drive the NCOS to enviable height.

Mrs Lydia Dauda, the general manager of COCOS commended Ahmed for his continuous encouragement and guidance to the vision.

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Dauda noted that the staff housing scheme by the COCOS was the first ever by the Cooperative in its 28 years of existence.

She said that the Cooperative had been able to pay N506 million for land and part of the infrastructure.

“This is a first of its kind project and the first of many more to come and this vision was conceived sometimes in 2015.

“The Previous Management of the Cooperative began negotiations with KYC Inter-project limited for 60 plots of land in their estate and eventually, part payments were made.

“Coming to 2019, the management of KYC came to our office to return the part payment as there was no renewed effort to consolidate the contract.

“At this point, the management of COCOS (then PRISCO) considered it a viable investment to continue the project. Our recommendation was to make-up the payment to the developers which we can then recover in piece-meal from members.

“We then approached the CG to inform him of the development and to seek his approval. He asked us to verify the authenticity of the land and thereafter, gave his approval for the project.

“We concluded negotiations for the initial 60 plots. However, demands for the land increased and we had to seek the CGC’s approval to acquire 100 more plots bringing the total to 160 plots.

“With the kind approval of the CGs, we were able to make substantial payments for the 160 plots of land including part of the infrastructure cost,” she said.

NAN

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