From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in the wee hours of Tuesday, sealed the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Character Commission and Merit house, Maitama and Murg Plaza, over their refusal to offset a N10 billion debt. The debt is for waste management owed to Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).
Director of the board, Osilama Briamah, said it provided waste management and other environmental obligations to their service providers and they refused to pay.
He said: “We try to negotiate to have a better way to achieve results but there was no positive response, we have given them payment plan but many of them refused to take this opportunity serious, the board then resort to legal means to recover the debts. The board got court orders to seal the premises.”
According to him, the exercise which has just begun, will cover all public and private offices owing the board.
A magistrate court sitting in Wuse II, Abuja had served the defendants with summons to appear before the court on March 30th, 2022, but they failed to honour the court.
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 N14,204,843.75, 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.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Attah Ikharo, who led the enforcement team, said the operation followed the initiative put together by the Minister of FCT and the permanent secretary to recover the extreme debts owed the board.
Ikharo stated that the FCT Administration is worried about the high amount being owed FCT Administration.
“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 tie down, is wrong for people not to pay for services rendered, ” he said.