Ondo Street Sweepers protest over non-payment of four months’ stipends

There was a spontaneous protest on Monday in Akure, the Ondo state capital by women employed as street sweepers in Akure, the Ondo state capital ove non-payment of their stipends for four months.

Among the protesters were widows who marched to the Ministry of Environment,to express their grievances.

They threatened to go on strike if their Entitlements were not paid immediately.

The protesters dressed in their green jackets while lamenting the ridiculous manner the management of the ZL Global Alliances, a private company in charge of waste management and recycling in the state was treating them.

Addressing reporters on Monday, one of the leaders of the protestors, Oluwaseun Ogunniyi, said they were former staff at the Ondo State Waste Management that was contracted by the ZL Global Alliance since 2019.

Ms Ogunniyi explained that the angry protesters were the ones sweeping the streets, highway roads, and markets and still been owed the stipend of N10,000 for four months.

“There is no promotion and we are now being paid N10,000 from the N20,000 we used to collect under the state government. They just started paying us N15,000.

“We close as late as 5 pm. I use N1000 per day to and from work and I am a widow. We always complain but they don’t answer us. The GM doesn’t stay in the office but has representatives to speak with us since August.

“So, Let them return us where we came from. If they don’t pay us, then we won’t work again,” she said.

Another elderly woman, Bimbo Adekunle revealed that they are always at their duty post as early as 4:30 am to sweep their portion, stressing that it was tiring not being paid as when due.

Adekunle, who said that it was always a long stretch before daybreak while working, noted that they were being owed backlogs of salaries by the waste management company despite working hard under harsh economic conditions in the state.

She specifically lamented the danger associated with the job, noting that it was strenuous sweeping on the highway road without adequate protection.

“Since the time of the former Governors, Olusegun Mimiko and Olusegun Agagu, we have done this job and even received awards for it.

“But Since 2019 when ZL Global Alliance has taken over the waste management system in the state, they have not been paying our money very well.

“The General Manager always gives the excuse that the government has not paid. Our money for last year’s December, he has not paid, even for Oct, July, and Nov this year, he has not paid.

“Please we appeal to ZL, General Chairman, Ondo State Waste Management, and the Commissioner, Chief Imam and the Oba of Akure, let them pay us, our stipend,” she said.

According to her, since ZL Global Alliance took over the management and recycling of waste in the state, the streets have always been filthy.

Ms Adekunle added, “Let them return us under the state so that the state can be the one to pay us. We don’t have any bonus or anything.”

However, the Manager,ZL  Global Alliance, Mrs Books Basorun said she had had meeting with them, stressing that some of them had issues with their accounts and hence, they could not be paid.

However, she assured them that by next week, they would start receiving their alert, stressing that they owed them only one month of November and not four month as claimed by the protesters.

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