The National Hospital, Abuja was on Tuesday sealed off by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board over N9 billion debt for waste disposal.
The hospital was sealed off following an order by an FCT Chief Magistrate over unpaid debts for services rendered, but it was unsealed after the hospital management settled the debt.
This was disclosed by the Chairman, Ministerial Task Team on the recovery of N9 billion owed the AEPB, Shehu Lawan after executing the court order on Tuesday.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule, stated that the hospital was re-opened following the prompt payment of the debt.
“Meanwhile, the National Hospital has since been re-opened following
prompt 100 percent payment of the debts owed AEPB,” it stated.
The statement said the court had earlier issued three different summons to the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital to appear before it, but he allegedly failed to do so.
It added that the Chief Magistrate Court II presided over by Mrs. Chinyere Nwecheonwu on June 22, 2016 ordered the sealing of the National Hospital and subsequently, adjourned the case to July 13, 2016 for hearing.
The Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita had June 30 directed all government institutions indebted to the AEPB Abuja Environmental to pay their debts or risk having a chunk of their overhead expenditure deducted from the first line charge.
