The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the construction of 40 houses for Judges and Justices in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, announced this to journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the FEC meeting, which was presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The initiative, part of the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to provide secure and convenient accommodation for members of the judiciary.
According to Wike, the 40 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.
He said the project is slated for completion within 15 months.
He said “also for the importance that the President attach to the Judiciary, he finds it difficult how judges and Justices will be living in rented houses and hotels, that is not safe for our judicial officials, not convenient for them to do their work and do the President directed that the FCT through the FCDA should immediately construct 40 numbered judges and Justices quarters at Kantampe district.
“What it means is that out of these 40 FCT high courts which is like the FCT court will have 20, the federal high court Will have ten and the court of Appeal will have ten and this will be completed in fifteen months’ time.
In addition to the housing project, Wike said FEC approved several infrastructure developments to improve access to the judicial quarters.
There are “construction of an access road from Artillery Road N11 from Mabuchi to the judges’ quarters.Development of all internal roads within the judges’ quarters.
Others are construction of an access road from Ring Road 1-N16 Shehu Shagari Way to the judges’ quarters and development of roads connecting to the Court of Appeal Abuja division.
He said these approvals are part of a larger infrastructure push in the FCT, which includes the development of over 75 kilometers of roads in satellite towns across Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Bwari area councils.
The minister said the government aims to complete these projects by December.
Wike also announced the termination of a previous contract for the development of Maitama 2, citing delays and lack of progress.
He said a new procurement process will be initiated to ensure the area’s development, potentially addressing housing deficits in the capital.
Meanwhile, FEC has approved several major road projects across the country, allocating billions of naira for construction.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced that the Abuja/Kano Road project, handled by Julius Berger, received approval for N740 billion. The project, 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 State, construction of the Sokoto/Badagry Super-highway Section 2, Phase 2A in Kebbi State, and dualization of Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Road in Ebonyi, Abia, and Imo states.
Additionally, FEC approved N80 billion to complete the Bodo-Bonny Road in Rivers State, bringing the total cost to N280 billion.
