By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, last Monday reportedly ordered the immediate settlement of arrears of salaries of street sweepers who had protested non-payment of their wages for several months.

The protesters had converged on the premises of the Ministry of Environment (MOE) and later proceeded to the state House of Assembly to also lodge their complaints.

Street-sweepers

It was gathered that there are seven zones coordinating street sweepers in the state with each zone owing various sums of money insalaries arrears.

Street sweepers are said to be on monthly salary of N12,000 each while their supervisors earn N20,000 monthly.

Ambode was said to have been irked by the report of non-payment of the salaries and immediately summoned the Permanent Secretary at the MOE as well as the the Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), to a meeting where he ordered the authorities to effect immediate payment of the arrears of salaries.

Spokesperson for the protesters, Mrs. Yemisi Oresanwo, lamented that since they had been transferred from Ministry of the Environment to LAWMA, life has been difficult for her and family.

Oresanwo who is a supervisor from Ikeja zone said it had been difficult for them to survive, saying they had complained to their boss but nothing positive came out of it.

“For me as a supervisor, I am being owed five months salaries while some others are being owed up to three or four months. So, we want government to come to our aid.

“Since the time we have been transferred from MOE to LAWMA, the latter has been responsible for payment of our salaries until recently when they refused to pay us,” she said.

The protesters said that they had lodged complaints at the office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of the Environment who promised to look into their demands.

Also speaking, another protester, Abidemi Najeem, said they had endured for a long period over the non-payment regretting that the situation has worsened since their children are expected to resume school later this month.

Najeem who represents Jibowu-Fadeyi zone said they were transferred since 2013 to LAWMA, adding that, “we want the government to state categorically whether we are under LAWMA or MOE.

“Our children will soon resume school and we are expecting Ileya festival (Muslim festival), how do they expect us to take care of ourselves and families.”

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuff, who had earlier addressed the two protesting groups on behalf of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, appealed to them to remain calm and not take laws into their hands.

According to him, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not in the habit of owing salaries, assuring that the matter would be adequately addressed.
Yusuff promised that the House which is currently on recess is expected to resume next week Monday, saying that “we shall look into your grievances when we come back from recess.”

Also speaking, Hon. Ogunyemi representing Ojo Consistency II, commended the sweepers and assured them that the matter would be resolved.

According to him, “we assure you that the House of Assembly will look into the matter and we appreciate you for the peaceful match without taking laws into your hands. I urge you to be patient with the Permanent Secretary because the government usually pays civil servants on the 24th of every month. So, there must be something wrong, please be calm,” he stated.