Court Restrains FCDA, Others From Frustrating Centenary City Project

Court Restrains FCDA, Others From Frustrating Centenary City Project

  • The Centenary City project in Abuja has an estimated investment of $18.376 billion according to the promoters
  • It also remains the highest single foreign direct investment proposal in the history of Nigeria with estimated job creation of over 250,000
  • Efforts by some FCT agencies to trespass on the facility has been impeded by a Federal High Court in the Nigerian capital

FCT, Abuja - A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has granted an interim order restraining two agencies in the FCT from further encroachment of the Master Plan of Centenary Economic City Free Zone (CECFZ).

The court specifically restrained the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), its sister agency Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), and their contractors from further incursion of the free zone modeled after Dubai.

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Jonathan
The Centenary City Project was initiated during the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Photo credit: GEJ Foundation
Source: Facebook

The temporary injunction was given in a suit marked FCH/ABJ/CS/2130/2022 and filed by Centenary Economic City Free Zone and Centenary City Free Zone Company.

Listed as defendants in the suit are the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the federation, the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority, and the minister of industry, trade and investment.

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Others are the FCT minister, the FCDA, and Arab Contractors Nigeria Limited.

In the enrolment order dated Tuesday, November 22, Hon. Justice I. E. Ekwo granted an “order of interim injunction restraining the defendants

“from committing further acts of encroachment, incursion and continuing to deface and destroy the master plan of Centenary Economic City Free Zone in any form whatsoever, in respect of the parcel of land, measuring approximately 1,262.27 hectares, situate, lying and being in Plot 1271, Wawa District, Cadastral Zone E24, designated as Centenary Economic City Free Zone, by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 1st September 2014, pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice.”

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According to the suit document, the court granted an Order of Maintenance of Status Quo Ante Bellum by all parties in this suit from taking any further step(s) in relation to the subject matter of the suit pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion on Notice is granted.

In November 2016, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami in a well-researched advised the FCDA on the status of the Centenary Economic City Free Trade Zone.

He said the facility ceased to be under the immediate or remote control, management and or administration of the FCT Minister and or the FCDA, pursuant to section 4 of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Act.

Encroachment by residents delaying Kano’s additional 2000 megawatts, says FG

Meanwhile, the ministry of power has revealed that encroachment on land along power lines is the main reason delaying federal government’s plan to increase the power supply to Kano by 2000 megawatts.

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The minister of power, Engr Abubakar D Aliyu stated this while he accompanied by the Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on inspection of the Dan Agundi power transmission substation.

During the inspection, Governor Ganduje promised to assist in relocating the people that are occupying the Transmission Company of Nigeria right of way so as to allow the reconductoring of Kumbotso-Dan Agundi power line that is over 54–years old.

FG to construct its first nuclear power plant, signs agreement with Russia, Pakistan

In a related development, the federal government has stated that bids for the building of a 4000 megawatts nuclear power plant is now open.

This was revealed by Dr. Yau Idris, Director General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, during the ongoing Nigerian International Energy Summit in Abuja.

If the bids are successful and construction is finished, Idris claims that the facility would be the largest power plant in the country.

Source: Legit.ng

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