Street Sweepers Protest Unpaid Salaries In Lagos
Lagos State Street cleaners and sweepers on Monday besieged the gates leading to the state House of Assembly and the Governor’s office to protest the non-payment of two months’ salary by the state government.
The spokesman of the aggrieved sweepers, Mr. Atobiloye Olajide lamented the shabby treatment meted out on them by Visionscape, the company contracted by the state government to handle waste management.
They also accused the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment of failing to provide basic equipment and welfare needed to do their jobs.
Also speaking another sweeper, Ugochukwu Gift alleged that at the point of employment, they were promised loan packages, general health and accident insurance, saying the firm reneged on its promises.
Ugochukwu said the brooms they use for sweeping were being purchased by the sweepers themselves.
For Oluwatosin Oduntan, a pregnant sweeper who spoke in tears, she described the attitude of the Visionscape officials as callous, revealing that one of the sweepers was refused help at the point of death until he lost his life.
It was learnt from a reliable source within the Ministry of the Environment that an audit of the sweepers was being carried with a view to ensuring the payment of their outstanding salaries.
