The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has recalled how he revoked the certificate of occupancy (C of O) of some plots of land allocated to German construction giant, Julius Berger after dining with the company’s Managing Director......CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>.....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
The Minister disclosed this while speaking at the official flag-off ceremony of the Design and Construction of 40 Judges’ Quarters in the nation’s capital.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, were among the dignitaries who graced the event.
Wike secured the land for the housing project, located in the Katampe District of Abuja, by revoking Julius Berger’s C of O, which was granted about 20 years ago.
He assured the CJN that the project would be completed at the scheduled time as 70% of funds for it had been released after its approval by the Federal Executive Council in September.
He stated that out of the 40 units to be constructed, 20 will be allocated to the FCT High Court, 10 to the Federal High Court, and 10 to the Court of Appeal.
The Minister noted that the post-retirement housing protects judges against manipulation, interference and exposure to certain temptations.
Addressing the CJN, Wike narrated how the land for the proposed quarters was acquired.
He recalled how he was driving around the FCT looking for a befitting and available location for the project and came across the land.
“My Lord, let me bring to your notice. You have seen this land here. When we were looking for where to get land to build. I was driving around looking for empty land and I got here and saw this empty land.
“I saw the big post: ‘Julius Berger’. I didn’t talk. I called the director of lands (and asked him): who owns that land? And he said: Julius Berger. When was it allocated? He said about 15, 20 years ago. 15, 20 years ago? Nothing has been done? I didn’t bother.
“So, I invited the MD (Managing Director of) Julius Berger. He came and we had dinner. I didn’t talk about the land. The next day, he was in the office and he saw the revocation letter as a matter of public interest.
“He called me and said but I had dinner with you. I said yes; we had dinner but we didn’t discuss the land.
“How will the government allocate land for more than 20 years for organisations to develop and they did not develop it? Thank God they did not develop it and now we can have it,”he revealed.