The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the redevelopment of DIG Quarters located at Maitama, Abuja by Cosgrove Investment Limited, under a Public Private Partnership, PPP, with the Nigeria Police.
The project was approved by the Federal Executive Council for the Nigeria’s leading smart estates developer to redevelop the estate through PPP arrangement of “Design, Finance, Build, Lease, and Transfer”.
The police chief, who performed the infrastructure commencement ceremony at the M.D. Yusuf quarters on Thursday in Maitama, Abuja, expressed confidence in the technical expertise and financial capability of Cosgrove Investment Limited to deliver a world-class smart gated community of six-bedroom villas for senior officers of the Police Management Team.
He stated that Cosgrove earned the confidence of the Police Management team after painstaking scrutiny of competent real estate development companies that came forward for the offer, and affirmed that Cosgrove has a track record of quality and delivery attainable anywhere in the world, hence entrusting the complex task to them.
Cosgrove is Nigeria’s technology-inclined real estate development company that gained public confidence after successfully building the Cosgrove Smart Estates at Wuye, Mabushi & Guzape, which are all fully automated estates in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Discussing the strategic importance of the project, the Inspector General of Police described the M.D. Yusuf Quarters as the best police quarters nationwide in terms of luxury, serenity and proximity to the Force Headquarters.
He added that it is one of the oldest buildings that the police have constructed in Abuja to accommodate its senior officers.
Speaking about the challenges that necessitated the redevelopment project, he said, “I was privileged to live in this estate for two years while I was Force Secretary, and I recall how I suffered as a result of the state of infrastructure. I had to look for bowls and dishes to place where leakages were pouring from.”
He recalled that at the time, the Managing Director of the Police Construction company, who is now retired, was a neighbor.
According to him, the director had to take shelter in his house because everything about the house he occupied had become old, archaic, non-functional, and in need of redevelopment.
The Inspector General emphasised the need for senior police officers to live in befitting homes, stating that some houses have already been built for junior staff and other ranks in the police through collaboration with other estate developers
The Inspector General explained that in order to provide befitting homes for senior officers, the management embarked on a search for a competent and reliable construction company that could transform the quarters into suitable homes for the top brass.
He said after careful due diligence and inspection of the finished estates by Cosgrove around the FCT, the management concluded that Cosgrove Investment Ltd is the best in providing the top notch accommodation that is befitting of the DIGs.
The Inspector General also expressed the desire for Cosgrove to consider imparting technical expertise in construction matters to the technical staff of the Police Construction Company.
He tasked the Police Construction Company to upscale its expertise to handle complex projects such as the redevelopment of M.D. Yusuf Quarters.
Highlighting the urgency and importance of addressing housing needs for members of the Police, the IGP said, “When I was shown the number of police quarters in Lagos that are branded as ‘unsafe structures’ as a result of the need to redevelop them, I was surprised because the structures are not befitting for even non-security officers, let alone officers of the police.”
The IGP expressed confidence that the redevelopment projects of the Police Force across the federation are noble and laudable projects that the next administration and management would be willing to continue.
He also emphasised the commitment of the Police Management Team to providing suitable residences for junior police officers and personnels.
The Inspector General commended the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the Ministry of Justice for their support.
He also acknowledged the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, for diligently executing their statutory responsibilities that led to the commencement of the project execution.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Cosgrove Investment Limited, Umar Abdullahi, described the groundbreaking ceremony as historic for Cosgrove and its stakeholders.
He assured that the redevelopment of DIG Quarters would be impactful and he celebrated it as a monumental achievement for the company.
Mr Abdullahi explained that Cosgrove diligently participated in the rigorous PPP process, which led to the groundbreaking ceremony.
He expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Police for conducting a technical evaluation of their proposal and acknowledged the ICRC, the Ministry of Justice, and the FCT administration for their assessment and approval of the project.
“Today marks a historic moment for us at Cosgrove and our stakeholders, as we break ground on yet another impactful project. This, however, is not a typical groundbreaking ceremony but a celebration of a monumental achievement for us as a company,” he said.
He highlighted Cosgrove’s ideological foundation of doing things differently while meeting the housing needs of stakeholders. He guaranteed that the company would deliver the project in compliance with the signed PPP agreement, employing the best cutting-edge solutions for its completion.
Mr Abdullahi acknowledged the important role of police officers in national stability and their command of respect. He emphasized that the project would be delivered using Cosgrove’s renowned innovative solutions.
Once completed, the estate would serve the Nigeria Police Force Adequately, fulfilling the obligation to provide befitting housing units for the DIGs.
“Because we understand the important role that our officers play, the respect they command, and the pivotal importance of the Police institution, this project will be delivered using the best, cutting-edge solutions that Cosgrove is known for”, Mr Abdullahi noted.
He also mentioned that the project would generate direct and indirect employment opportunities, as is customary for Cosgrove projects.
“The company has a track record of providing skills training through apprenticeship programs, benefiting hundreds of Nigerians and mitigating social insecurity within the FCT.
“It might interest you to know that the Cosgrove brand has enabled hundreds Nigerians to acquire skills in several apprenticeship programmes, through our projects, to become skilled artisans. Additionally, we have in the last couple of years employed thousands of people effectively mitigating social insecurity within the FCT,” he said.
The Chairman/CEO Cosgrove expressed appreciation for the Inspector General of Police’s commitment to the project and ensuring due process was followed. He thanked the Director General of ICRC and his team for their thorough assessments.
He also thanked the FCT Minister for supporting the vision of the project through the establishment of a Technical Committee that ensured compliance with laws, guidelines, and the FCT master plan.
He commended the Federal Government for creating an enabling environment for successful PPPs.
The redevelopment of DIG Quarters under the PPP arrangement with Cosgrove Investment Limited represents a significant step towards providing suitable housing for senior police officers.
The project aims to improve the living conditions of police personnel and strengthen the technical capacity of the Police Construction Company.
With Cosgrove’s expertise and commitment, the Nigeria Police and the Federal Government can fulfill their obligation to provide modern and befitting accommodation for the top brass of the force.
