FEC approves construction of 40 houses in Abuja for judges

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the construction of 40 houses in Abuja for judges in the country.

Nyesom Wike, minister of federal capital territory (FCT), made the announcement on Monday while addressing state house correspondents after a FEC meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

He said the residences will be constructed in the Kantampe district, with 20 allocated to the FCT high court, 10 to the federal high court and 10 to the court of appeal.

The minister said the project is expected to be completed within 15 months.

“For the importance that the president attach to the judiciary, he finds it difficult [to understand] how judges and justices will be living in rented houses and hotels, that is not safe for our judicial officials,” Wike said.

“[It is] not convenient for them to do their work. And so, the president directed that the FCT, through the FCDA, to immediately construct 40 numbered judges and justices quarters at Katampe district.

“What it means is that out of these 40 FCT high courts, the FCT court will have 20, the federal high court will have 10, the court of appeal will have 10 —and this will be completed in fifteen months’ time.”

Wike added that the federal government has also approved construction of access roads to judicial quarters in the FCT, adding that the projects are expected to be completed by December.

“Construction of an access road from Artillery Road N11 from Mabuchi to the judges’ quarters. Development of all internal roads within the judges’ quarters,” he said.

Dave Umahi, minister of works, also announced that the Abuja-Kano road project handled by Julius Berger received approval for N740 billion.

He said the project, which was initially valued at N155 billion, was revised to N797 billion by the previous administration and further increased to N1.5 trillion.

Other approved projects include the rehabilitation of Maraban-Kankara/Funtua road in Katsina, construction of the Sokoto/Badagry Super-highway section 2, phase 2A in Kebbi state, and dualisation of Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe road in Ebonyi, Abia, and Imo states.