Idris Barracks To Get Housing For Its Personnel
The sod has been cut for the construction of a 10-unit self contained apartments at the Idris Barracks in Kumasi It is the first phase of a project so dear to the heart of the Command and will be further extended to a 20-bedroom capacity.
The ceremony was performed by the Krontihene of Amakom Nana Atakora.
In an address, the General Officer Commanding, the Central Command, Brigadier General Joseph A. Aphour, expressed regret that proper accommodation has been a big challenge for military personnel stationed at the Idris Barracks with about 80% percent of them living in poor structures.
He said It is as a result this that the Command has considered it necessary to solicit public support to overcome the challenge.
“The importance of keeping soldiers in the barracks cannot be over-emphasized however, it is sad to note that due to the lack of accommodation, most of our soldiers are living out of the barracks.”
He said for those living in the barracks, the state of accommodation in which they are housed “is nothing good to write home about .”
According to Brig. Gen Aphour, the creation of the new regions namely Ahafo, Bono, Bono East “has further exacerbated the commands accommodation challenges because it has brought in its wake, an increase in the number of soldiers at the command headquarters..
The GOC acknowledged that the government indeed has plans to provide the needed accommodation for soldiers in the long term but given the exigency of the situation he has found the need to contact some private individuals and corporate organizations which have so far responded positively to their request.
Brig Gen Aphour paid tribute to all those who have responded positively to the needs of personnel at the Idris Barracks by contributing either cash or building materials.
Nana Atakora, who donated a consignment of bags of cement assured all the other donors that their donations would not be in vain and that all efforts would be made to ensure that the project would be due for commissioning in a year’s time.