Governor Wike abolishes payment for Certificates of Occupancy at Nigerian Law School

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has taken a significant step by granting an immediate waiver of fees for the Certificate of Occupancy for the Nigerian Law School's Abuja campus.

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This move was announced during a meeting with the school's management in Abuja, where Wike also declared a state of emergency regarding the construction of staff quarters and other vital infrastructure to enhance the learning environment.

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Wike expressed astonishment that the institution had been operating without a Certificate of Occupancy since its relocation to Bwari, highlighting the need to address the lack of official documentation for government institutions.

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He instructed the Director of Lands to waive all processing fees for the school's Certificate of Occupancy and ensured that the document would be processed and ready within one week, emphasizing the importance of regularizing the land to establish rightful ownership.

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Wike committed the FCT Administration to several high-priority projects aimed at resolving overcrowding and improving staff efficiency, with 10 staff quarters already completed and set to be commissioned as part of the President's third anniversary celebrations.

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He pledged to construct an additional 10 units using existing prototypes to save on design costs, and noted that work is progressing on two new hostels, one for male students and the other for female students, to address overcrowding.

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Wike announced that he has approved the budget for a new auditorium and questioned the delay in commencing construction, directing the school to liaise with the FCTA General Counsel to explore digitisation solutions.

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He emphasized that these interventions are part of President Bola Tinubu's broader agenda to support legal education and the judiciary, highlighting the President's efforts to construct presidential apartments for judges to ensure their security, welfare, and autonomy.

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Wike stressed the importance of treating the staff quarters as an emergency project to ensure rapid delivery, saying "Anything we can do to help our children, we are willing to do that."

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Earlier, Dr Olugbemisola Odusote, Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, commended the Minister on the developments recorded and praised the visible infrastructure developments across the FCT, while also highlighting the specific challenges of disrepair and infrastructure deficits facing the Law School.