THE Government has released more than K12 billion to pay outstanding terminal benefits to retired police officers who are still occupying institutional houses countrywide.

Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani has further directed provincial commanding officers to speed up the process of paying the retirees so that the houses can be vacated without further delay.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mangani said the K12.8 billion would also be paid to relatives of deceased police officers, most of whom were also occupying institutional houses in various police camps.

Mr Mangani was happy that the money which was released by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning last week, would go a long way in addressing the housing problems for police officers.

The minister explained that more than 900 houses countrywide were expected to be vacant and reiterated Government's commitment in ensuring that the retirees were paid their dues.

"I can confirm that the Ministry of Finance has released K12.8 billion out of the budgeted K13 billion towards the payment of retired police officers who have been occupying houses awaiting their terminal benefits while other houses have been occupied by relatives of officers who have died, "he said.

Mr Mangani warned the occupants of police houses against resisting to vacate them.

He said the police command wanted to instill discipline in the police camps whose conduct has not been good.

"It has been difficult to instill discipline in the camps and it is for this reason that some of them are even brewing ilicit beer because they are not reporting to anyone. Even if they have planted maize in the camps, it should not be used as a basis to refuse to vacate the houses," Mr Mangani said.

The Government was committed to ensuring that it accommodated police officers while the programme of building houses for them would continue.

Meanwhile, Mr Mangani has paid tribute to police officers in the country for continuing to maintain law and order and urged them not to relent in ensuring that peace is maintained at all times.

He said police should not relax but be alert at all times and ensure that members of the public carried out their work and businesses in a conducive environment.