The acute accommodation challenges facing senior military officers, directing staff and participants including foreigners at the apex military institution in the country, the National Defence College was eased on Thursday, August 5th 2021, following the commissioning of a 9-storey building comprising 56 blocks of flats by the federal government.

Minister of Defence, Major Gen Bashir Magashi who inaugurated the building storey which also comprises 56 units of boys’ quarters at the Permanent Site of the National Defence College, Piwoyi, Abuja, noted that the delay in completion of the accommodation was occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID – 19 Pandemic and series of lockdowns.

He expressed the belief that the edifice will substantially reduce accommodation challenges currently facing the College and improve the occupants’ living conditions.

“It is pleasing to also note that the block of 56 flats being commissioned is fully furnished and equipped with modern facilities required in a home for a decent living,” he said adding, “It will also accommodate essential services such as supermarkets, barbing saloon, canteens as well as office accommodation for staff

Emphasizing that for any organization to succeed, it requires the services of a vibrant and well-motivated workforce, the minister said, “This can only be achieved when the expectations of its staff are met through provision of welfare facilities such as this befitting accommodation.

He charged the beneficiaries to make good use of the facilities by observing an effective maintenance culture saying “The timely completion of this building is yet another demonstration of the Federal Government’s resolve to improve the welfare of the Armed Forces and civilian staff of the Ministry of Defence despite several daunting challenges.

“As Minister of Defence, I shall continue to encourage and galvanize efforts towards ensuring that the Armed Forces is sufficiently equipped, well trained and adequately motivated to achieve their statutory mandate.

The Ministry of Defence, under my leadership, will continue to support the National Defence College at all times in sustaining its achievements as a Centre of Excellence and attain further enviable heights among other Defence Colleges globally” he said.

He expressed support for fast-tracking the completion of other ongoing projects in the College to ensure its relocation to the permanent site in Piwoyi within the shortest possible time.

In his remarks, Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji commended the federal government for completion of the edifice even as he noted that the project which was started in 2017 suffered delay due to budgetary constraints, inflation and the Covid 19 pandemic which necessitated stoppage of work for more than 6 months.

He urged the federal government to ensure the completion of the remaining projects for the movement of the college to the permanent site as the present temporary location had become small for the level of its activities.

Among facilities at the 9 storey building are a central gas cooking system, a 1,000 KVA generating set, Laundry, supermarket, barbing saloon.

Present at the inauguration were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General SA Adebayo and members of the National Assembly.

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