Nyesome Wike has claimed that he has saved N110 billion since he was confirmed as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on August 7, 2023.
Wike made the declaration when he announced on Tuesday that the cost of obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is N5 million.
The former Rivers State governor said that the N110 billion generated barely three months since he was sworn in would be ploughed into developing infrastructures in the FCT, Nigeria’s capital.
According to Wike, the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority paid N8.9 billion monthly in salaries.
Speaking on the C of O, the controversial politician and former minister said payment could be made within four months of land allocation, after which the C of O would be handed over to the applicant.
“Allocation of land to three or more persons will no longer be allowed because the C of O enables you to do business.
“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will not. The rich will kick against some of our decisions, but anything that will help our people must be done,” Wike said.
Chronicle NG reports that President Bola Tinubu appointed Wike, a member of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party on July 27 and he was sworn in after senate confirmation of his appointment.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
