The FCT Administration, on Tuesday, sealed off the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Character Commission and Merit House Maitama for owing the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) N10 billion in waste collection bills.

Addressing journalists during the exercise, the director of AEPB, Osilama Briamah, said the board provided waste management and other environmental services the works ministry, FCC, and others refused to pay.

“We tried to negotiate to have a better way to achieve results, but there was no positive response. We have given them a payment plan, but many of them refused to take this opportunity seriously,” said the AEPB official.

Mr Briamah added, “The board then resorted to legal means to recover the debts. The board obtained court orders to seal the premises. The exercise which has just begun will cover all public and private offices owing the board.”

The Wuse II senior magistrate’s court, Abuja, had served the defendants with the summons to appear before the court on March 30, but they failed to honour the court, according to AEPB.

The breakdown of the debts showed that the education ministry owes N25,838,275, the defence ministry owes N17,220,775.00, and FCC owes N10,128,906.25.

The Civil Service Commission owes N2,451,649.50; Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission owes N21,683,750.00; the health ministry owes N14,204,843.75; the Ministry of Trade and Investment owes N19,222,287.50; the works ministry owes N9,998,625.00, and Civil Defence Wuse owes N16,583,031.25.

Ikharo Attah, the senior special assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, said the operation followed the initiative put together by the FCT minister and the FCTA permanent secretary to recover debts owed the board.

“FCT Administration needs enough funds to build infrastructure and keep the city running. The administration has decided to go after the ministries, parastatal, agencies and private individuals,” said Mr Attah. “We cannot wait to see government money tied down. It is wrong for people not to pay for services rendered.”

The AEPB said it might lock down some government offices, hotels, plazas and other business premises due to their indebtedness to the board.

Mr Briamah disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, saying the measure came on the heels of the task team set up by the FCTA permanent secretary, Olusade Adesola, to recover over N10 billion owed the AEPB by several government agencies, business premises and residential apartments.

(NAN)