By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
INADEQUATE housing for Police and Prison Service officers is demoralising the law enforcement officers, Police and Prisons Service Commission Chairperson Alexander Museba has said.
Commenting on the Commission’s tour of the Copperbelt prisons and police stations, Mr Museba said the biggest challenge the officers brought up in their submissions was that of lack of proper housing.
He said the problem had demoralised most of the officers and was affecting their performance.
“The biggest challenge the officers in prisons and police stations are bringing out is that of lack of proper housing,” Mr Museba said.
He said most houses in Police and Prison Service camps were dilapidated because they were old.
Most of these houses were built in 1958 and had not been properly repaired.
Other officers were not accommodated properly because the houses available were less than the number of officers.
Mr Museba said the lack of proper accommodation coupled with other challenges made it difficult for the law enforcement officers to do their work.
He was however, confident that the matter would be resolved soon.
Mr Museba said Government had promised to build more houses which would accommodate the officers.
“I have no doubt Government will come to the aid of the officers because they have promised to do so. Lack of proper accommodation is a challenge but it is one Government will deal with soon,” he said.
The Police and Prison Service Commission is on a 22-day tour of the Copperbelt police and prison facilities to attend to problems and challenges in the area so as to improve the conditions of service for the officers.