Wike Commences Construction Of Office Annex For Body Of Benchers

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has flagged off construction of office annex for the Body of Benchers in Abuja.

At the ceremony in Abuja, Wike who announced that the project will be completed within the next ten months, said he will not be deterred by what he sees or hears, but rather focus on delivering dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Wike assured that through out his tenure as the FCT minister, he will do everything within his power to leave lasting legacies, by executing significant, impactful and people oriented projects that will stand the test of time.

“I am happy as a lawyer, paraventure people will ask, when you were in office, what was your contribution to the development of legal education? What is your contribution to the judiciary? I will say, yes, as a minister of that city, I was able to contribute this…I was able to do this.”

“The good thing about us, you know, as a politician, you must have thick skin. I have thick skin. I don’t even hear what people say. I don’t even see those who are talking.And because I can’t talk, I cannot reply. I will go ahead and continue to do my work for the best of the country. That is all I can do, Wike said.”

The FCT Minister also explained that the project execution is a prove of the cooperation that is existing between the three arms of Government, adding that their request for fire service station wolud be captured in the 2025 budget.

According to him, the office annex project is already captured in the supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly by Mr President in November 2023, and the procurement processes were ongoing.

“As we speak today, it is the federal capital territory that is providing the official residence of the legislature. That is a different arm of government. As we speak today, it is the FCT that is building the new complex of the national assembly. That has nothing to do with interference of the arm of government.”

“At the end of the day, the project will be handed over to the legislature for them to manage. I am very grateful, thanking the President for approving this project.”

“So this project is provided in the supplementary budget of the FCT in 2023 as sent to by the president November 8th, 2023. So it is obvious that there is nothing hidden. But for the procurement process, right now, we are still talking about the approval fee of this project.

“But I can assure you that this is not one of those public projects where you say that you have started and the project has been abandoned. No, this project will be completed in 10 months’ time.”

“And I know, as I said, you have requested for a fire service station. Let me just say this clearly. I have called the Director of Engineering to make sure that it is provided for in our 2025 budget. We cannot take this for granted. By 2025, we are going to establish a fire service station within this complex.” Wike promised.

Earlier,Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, who noted that the body of Benchers had called over 140,000 Nigerians to bar, hinted that about 9000 are expected to be called to bar in 2025.

Chief Awomolo expressed the gratitude of the Body of Benchers to President Tinubu and the FCT Minister for the infrastructure and also appealed for establishment of fire service station in the area, considering the several gigantic government institutions such as the EFCC, Federal Medical Center, Body of Benchers among others.

Highpoint of the event was the presentation of a plaque and emblem by the body of benchers to the FCT Minister for his immense contributions to the legal profession and the judiciary.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji