The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sealed the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Character Commission, Merit House Maitama and Murg Plaza over waste management debts owed to Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).
The Director of the board, Engr Osilama Briamah, says the affected lagencies refused to pay for the services of the board and had huge amount laying without response from the defaulters.
According to him, the exercise which has just commenced, will cover all public and private offices owing the board.
He says “We tried to negotiate to have a better way to achieve results but there was no positive response; we gave them payment plan but many of them refused to take the opportunity seriously, the board then resorted to legal means to recover the debts. The board got court orders to seal the premises”.
The defendants had been summoned to appear before a senior magistrate court sitting in Wuse II, Abuja on March 30, 2022, but they failed to show up.
The breakdown of the debts showed that Federal ministry of Education owed N25,838,275, Federal Ministry of Defence -N17,220,775.00 and Federal character commission–N10,128,906.25.
Others include Civil service commission–N2,451,649.50, Revenue mobilisation and fiscal commission—N21,683,750.00; Federal ministry of Health N 14,204,843.75, Fed ministry of Trade & Investment—N19,222,287.50, Federal ministry of Works — N9,998,625.00, Nigeria Security and civil Defence corps wuse- N16,583,031.25.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Ikahro Attah, who led the enforcement operation, says it followed the initiative put forth by the minister of FCT and the permanent secretary to recover the extreme debts owed the board.
Attah noted that the FCT Administration is worried about the high amount being owed FCTA.
“FCT Administration needs enough fund to build infrastructure and keep the city running. The administration has decided to go after the Ministries, parastatals, agencies and private individuals.
“We cannot wait to see government money tied down, it’s wrong for people not to pay for services rendered,” he added.
