1. The Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has reiterated his commitment to improving the welfare of judiciary officers in the FCT to improve their productivity.
2. The Minister made the pledge in Abuja on Thursday when he received a delegation from the FCT Judiciary, led by the Chief Judge of the FCT, Hon. Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf, on a courtesy visit to his office.
3. The FCT Minister who commended the stability in the FCT Judiciary as well as the cordial relationship between the FCT Administration and the FCT Judiciary, assured that the FCTA will do its best to increase the tempo of that relationship.
4. The Minister pledged the support of the FCT Administration to ensuring a successful legal year and assured that the FCT Administration will do its best to improve the welfare of judicial officials.
5. Noting that the fight against corruption could only succeed when a conducive environment is provided for the judiciary, the Minister revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed him to work towards creating the enabling environment for the judiciary to discharge its duties well in the FCT.
6. He said the FCT Administration will work with the judiciary to ameliorate the accommodation problem of Judges in the FCT to ensure that they have a home to retire to at the end of their service
7. Barrister Wike who also reflected on the cordial relationship between the executive and the judiciary during his tenure as Governor of Rivers State, said the government maintained the respect and independence of the judiciary in the interest of good governance.
8. The Minister therefore assured that the FCT Administration will try to replicate what was done for the Judiciary in Rivers State during his tenure as governor of the state.
9. He said: “Another thing I want to say is that what we did in Rivers State will be replicated in the FCT. We have to provide accommodation for them so that when they are retiring, they have a home to go to. Nobody will commandeer them with anything. But when you retire as a judicial officer and you have no home to go to, it doesn’t make sense
10. “Mr. President has told me that I must, as a matter of urgency, liaise with the Chief Judge to see how we can work out this, where Judges of the FCT Judiciary will have a home on retirement.
11. “Again, whatever you think that will improve the welfare of judicial officers in the FCT, do not hesitate to let us know. We are here to do anything to make sure we provide good governance. We will do everything to make the environment conducive so that you can do your work without excuses”.
12. Speaking on the prerequisite for success in the fight against corruption, the Minister said the environment must be made conducive for those leading the charge to succeed.
13. “When you want to talk about fighting corruption, you must ask, have you provided the conducive environment for those people who are empowered to fight the corruption, for example, the judiciary. In most cases, most of them don’t even have homes when they retire.
14. “Fighting corruption will start from the environment in which they are in. in that case, you will now say you have provided things that will make them to overlook certain areas. But if you have not provided it, then you don’t talk about fighting corruption.
15. “So, Mr. President has said he will do anything that will make the judiciary to do the work in order to make this country move forward. The renewed hope agenda for him is that so many people have lost confidence. He said nobody should lose confidence. Those things that are not in place will be brought back.”
16. The Minister also called for the support of the FCT Judiciary in tackling the issue of land racketeering and other sharp practices in the FCT that are militating against the provision of good governance in the FCT.
17. . Earlier in his remarks, the Chief Judge of the FCT, Hon. Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf, commended the FCT Minister over his remarkable accomplishments and dedication to public service, including his commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of judicial officers in Rivers State.
18. The Chief Judge assured that the FCT Judiciary will support the FCT Administration within the ambit of the law to bequeath a model city to the citizens of this country.
19. Present at the visit were the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, and other senior management staff of the FCTA.
ANTHONY OGUNLEYE
DIRECTOR OF PRESS
OFFICE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER
05/10/2023
FCTA/ODP/PR/435
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