The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has sealed a number of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including Works, Education, Defence, Health, and Trade & Investment for N10 billion debt owed the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).
Also included in the waste management debt are the Federal Character Commission, Civil Service Commission, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and a host of others.
The Director of the Board, Osilama Briamah, said the affected agencies refused to pay for the services and had huge amount of debts without response from the defaulters.
He added that the exercise, which has just commenced will cover all public and private offices owing the board.
He said: “We tried to negotiate to have a better way to achieve results but there was no positive response; we gave them payment plans but many of them refused to take the opportunity seriously. The Board then resorted to legal means to recover the debt. The Board got court orders to seal the premises.”
The defendants were summoned to appear before a senior Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse II, Abuja on March 30, but failed to show up.
We tried to negotiate to have a better way to achieve results but there was no positive response; we gave them payment plans but many of them refused to take the opportunity seriously. The Board then resorted to legal means to recover the debts.
The breakdown of the debts showed that the Ministry of Education owed N25.84 million; Defence – N17.22 million and Federal Character Commission – N10.13 million.
Others are the Civil Service Commission – N2.45 million, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission — N21.68 million, Ministries of Health – N14.20 million, Trade & Investment—N19.22 million, Works — N10 million, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Wuse – N16.58 million.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Ikahro Attah, who led the enforcement operation, said the FCTA followed the initiative put forth by the Minister and the Permanent Secretary to recover the debt owed the Board.
Attah said: “FCT Administration needs enough funds 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.”
