Cleaner Lagos street sweepers protest against non-payment of salaries

Street sweepers under the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) yesterday staged another protest to the Lagos State secretariat, Alausa, the second in two weeks, over the non-payment of November/December salaries, merger with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), among other grievances.

The street sweepers said they had to repeat their action yesterday because the promises made to them over a week ago, especially payment of salaries, had not been fulfilled by the state government.

The sweepers urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to come to their rescue. The placard-carrying protesters said they preferred to remain with CLI. They demanded an increase in salary, alleging that LAWMA was planning to reduce the workforce employed under the scheme and cut their salaries.

According to one of the protesters, Oluwatobi Adeyeye, after they marched to Alausa last week, they held a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Biodun Bamgboye, and the head of LAWMA.

Adeyeye said the government team promised to get in touch with them last Friday but failed to do so, and every attempt to get in touch with the Permanent Secretary through calls and messages were not answered.

“Even when we visited his office on Thursday last week to see him, we couldn’t after waiting for hours because he was not around.”

Speaking with journalists after addressing the protesters, the Permanent Secretary said the ministry has already commenced the payment of their November salary from yesterday and that approval for the December salary has been received while the ministry was working on it.

Bamgboye told them they should compile the names of those who by Thursday evening did not receive alert and bring the list to him on Friday. Some of the protesters confirmed that they have started receiving alert for November salary but expressed sadness over the delay in the payment, while pleading that they receive their December salary in time because of the yuletide.

Another protester, Bose Osinowo, said several of her colleagues were killed by reckless drivers while working on the road. Mrs. Kudirat Agboola said they wanted the government to take care of the deceased’s six children, adding: “We don’t want to work under LAWMA.’’