About 90 residents of the Federal Capital City (FCC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who did not pay for the cleaning and environmental services rendered to them by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) have shunned the mobile court sitting.
AEPB had organised a mass trial for defaulters of the payment of waste management fees/provision of dustbin at both commercial and residential properties, yesterday. Out of the 94 people that were summoned for the trial, only nine of them obeyed the court order and appeared.
But speaking after the trial, a prosecutor with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Arome Terkula, said they had about 94 persons summoned to appear before the mobile court on accumulated mobile waste disposal bills that have not been paid for years.
“Out of the 94 people summoned by the court, about nine people appeared before the court. Out of these nine, some people paid outrightly and have been discharged. Some paid parts, while some only did reconciliation to report back to the court.
“We also have people who were given time to pay. If they fail, their premises will be sealed pending when they will pay.
“Three paid outrightly and were discharged. Once you pay, we can’t continue with the case again, “ he said.
Also, the director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Engr Osilama Braimah, said they have been sensitising the people concerning the payment adding that the bills are sent to the properties owners with duplicate of four copies.
“Even after the bills, there were court summons that were sent to them but many of them still refused to pay for the services rendered,” he added.
Also, the head of legal unit of the AEPB, Betty Amarachi Umegbulem, said they will not stop prosecuting those who refused to honour the court summons.
