The President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association, Olufunmilola Disu, on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping welfare intervention in Lagos, declaring that the strength of the Nigeria Police Force rests firmly on the well-being of officers’ families.
Addressing a cross-section of stakeholders at the Lagos edition of the POWA CARES Initiative, Disu said the programme was conceived as a deliberate response to the often overlooked realities confronting police families across the country.
She emphasised that the initiative goes beyond ceremonial gatherings, describing it as a strategic platform designed to deliver measurable impact in healthcare, education and economic support for families of serving personnel.
According to her, global evidence has shown that when families of security personnel are adequately supported, officers perform their duties with greater focus, dignity and professionalism, a principle that underpins the POWA CARES framework.
The Lagos rollout follows a successful first phase in Abuja, where more than 1,000 beneficiaries received medical interventions, particularly in eye care, a development she said validated both the need and POWA’s capacity to deliver structured welfare programmes.
Building on that momentum, Disu disclosed that the Lagos phase would provide free eye screening, treatment, corrective eyewear, dental services and general medical consultations to over 1,000 beneficiaries within two days.
She added that the intervention extends beyond health, with 200 families set to benefit from financial grants, while nursing scholarships will be awarded to support educational advancement among dependants of police personnel.
In a move to ease urban mobility, beneficiaries will also receive Cowry transport cards, while selected families will participate in high-level engagements, including interactive sessions with the Inspector General of Police and Lagos State leadership.
Disu further highlighted the initiative’s focus on youth development, noting that sensitisation programmes addressing drug abuse, cultism and sexual health would form a critical component of the intervention to safeguard the next generation.
She described POWA CARES as a transition from ad hoc welfare gestures to a structured and sustainable social protection system, anchored on partnerships with government institutions, healthcare providers and development organisations.
While acknowledging the support of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Disu commended medical professionals and partners whose contributions, she said, have been instrumental to the programme’s success, before formally declaring the Lagos phase open.