Why I removed FCTA from Treasury Single Account – Tinubu
Tinubu Defends Fiscal Change to Boost Infrastructure in Abuja
ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s recent decision to withdraw the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), asserting that the move is essential for accelerating project delivery and enhancing infrastructure development in the capital city.
Speaking on Monday during the commissioning of a new Office Annex for the Body of Benchers and a set of 10 four-bedroom staff quarters at the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Tinubu emphasized that the change would provide the FCTA with the necessary financial flexibility, liquidity, and operational efficiency to execute important projects unimpeded by bureaucratic processes. He was represented at the event by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“When we removed the FCT Administration from the TSA, there were many skeptics,” Tinubu remarked. “However, the improvements seen across the Federal Capital Territory now speak for themselves.”
The President praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for effectively implementing this policy and driving necessary infrastructure advancements. He noted that Wike’s efforts extended beyond mere road construction, highlighting the resolution of the Nigerian Law School’s longstanding land title issue through the issuance of its Certificate of Occupancy.
Tinubu also described the newly inaugurated Body of Benchers Office Annex as a testament to his administration’s commitment to the rule of law and democratic governance.
In response to concerns regarding potential executive interference in judicial matters, he clarified that it is the responsibility of the executive branch to furnish the judiciary with the necessary infrastructure to function effectively. “Providing infrastructure for the legal community is not interference in the independence of the judiciary; it is a constitutional duty,” he stated.
Additionally, the President underscored the importance of adequate facilities in the Nigerian Law School for the training of competent legal professionals. He announced that the Federal Government is investing in a new auditorium, additional student hostels, and the digitalization of the school’s academic and administrative processes.
Similar initiatives, he noted, are under way across the justice sector, including the development of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal and new magistrates’ courts, along with residential quarters for judges.