Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday challenged professional bodies in Nigeria to pay less attention to public criticism and more attention to attracting tangible development to their institutions and members.
Wike spoke in Abuja while receiving delegates of the Body of Benchers led by its Chairman, Albert Akpomudje, on a courtesy visit to his official residence in Life Camp.
“Leaders of professional associations should be remembered for projects and reforms they attracted while in office, rather than for frequent appearances on television criticising government,” the minister said.
“What is leadership all about? “What will you say is your legacy at the end of your tenure?” Wike asked.
“You cannot occupy a position and what you do is to criticise government everyday. People will ask you, “ what did you do for your profession, when you had the opportunity?”
He said that successive leaders of the Body of Benchers had shown exemplary leadership by consistently seeking government intervention to improve infrastructure and facilities for the legal profession.
“You are not the first Chairman of the Body of Benchers but you came with requests that will better the institution and open up the area for everybody. That’s leadership,” he said.
“We are close to completing the Body of Benchers annex building and it would be delivered by June; the access road around the Nigerian Law School and EFCC Academy corridor is 98 per cent complete.
He also approved a new request for a new access road to the Body of Benchers annex building, directing the relevant officials of the FCT Administration to immediately assess and incorporate the project into ongoing works.
The minister used the opportunity to rebut what he called “destructive criticism” from some professional groups, insisting that constructive engagement with government brings better results.
“Constructive criticism is good, but not the kind where nobody sees anything good in what government is doing,” he said.
He specifically challenged criticisms over government-built houses for judges, saying that providing infrastructure and welfare support to judicial officers would strengthen institutions, not weaken them.
“If the government provides accommodation for judges, people say they are compromised. “But when the NBA goes about seeking support from government, nobody talks about compromise,” Wike said.
He said professional associations should put more effort into identifying gaps in their sectors and joining with government to address them.
‘If you are president of an association and all you do is attend television programmes to criticise government, that is not enough. What did you draw for your members? What did you improve?” he asked.
Earlier, His Royal Highness Akpomudje praised the FCT Administration for what he called a remarkable infrastructural transformation across Abuja, most especially, projects that have benefitted the legal profession.
He said the Body of Benchers appreciated the completion of its annex building, the ongoing fire service station project and the construction of access roads within the complex.
“Roads are being built and upgraded every day in the city centre and in the rural areas. “This is what governance should be, in fact,” he said.
Akpomudje added that cooperation between the executive, legislature and judiciary was still necessary to strengthen democratic institutions and improve access to justice in Nigeria.
