The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the ongoing construction of houses for judges and justices in Abuja, saying the project does not interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
Wike made the comments on Friday after inspecting several judicial projects across the capital, including residential buildings for judges, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, and planned housing projects for judges of the Industrial Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
His remarks come after reports that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) raised concerns about the executive arm of government being involved in building infrastructure for the judiciary.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said there is nothing wrong with government providing housing and facilities for judicial officers, stressing that it is not a new practice.
He explained that past governments have also built major institutions for the judiciary and legislature without affecting their independence.
According to him, “The fact that government is building houses does not mean it will control the judiciary. The Supreme Court and other public institutions were built by government. So there is nothing unusual about what is happening now.”
Wike also accused the NBA leadership of being inconsistent, claiming they often seek sponsorship from government for their own programmes while criticising similar government support for the judiciary.
He questioned why government funding for NBA events is not seen as interference, while infrastructure support for judges is being challenged.
The minister maintained that the FCT Administration will continue with projects aimed at improving the welfare and working conditions of judges, adding that the goal is to help them perform better, not to influence their decisions.
He also revealed that the housing projects are part of activities marking President Bola Tinubu’s third year in office.
Wike said he was pleased with the level of work done on the judges’ quarters, describing it as nearly completed and well furnished.
He added that the buildings are about 99 per cent ready for use and expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction.
The minister also announced that groundwork has begun for similar housing projects for judges of the Industrial Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
However, he noted that he was not fully satisfied with the finishing of the Court of Appeal building in Abuja, despite its advanced stage.
According to him, “The project is about 90 per cent completed, but the finishing is not up to standard. I have directed the contractor to fix all errors before inauguration.”
Wike assured that all ongoing projects under the FCT Administration will be closely monitored to ensure they meet required standards and are completed on time.