Aged women, mostly widows employed as street sweepers in Akure, the Ondo state capital, have protested the non-payment of their four-month stipends.

They said that the management of ZL Global Alliances, a private company in charge of waste management and recycling in the state owes them their stipends.

They took to the streets of Akure metropolis and marched to the Ministry of Environment to express their displeasure.

Dressed in green jackets, the protesters lamented the “shabby” treatment being metted on them by the management of the private company in charge of waste management and recycling in the state.

Speaking with journalists, one of their leaders, Oluwaseun Ogunniyi, said they were former staff at the Ondo State Waste Management before they were contracted by the private company in 2019.

Ogunniyi who threatened that they would down tool work if not paid, said that they were the ones sweeping the streets, highways and markets.

“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 many of us are widows. We always complain but they don’t answer us.

“The GM doesn’t stay in the office. Let them return us to where we came from, If they can’t pay us. We’re tired of working and not been paid,” she said.

Another elderly woman, Bimbo Adekunle, said that they are always at their duty post as early as 4:30 am to sweep.

Adekunle said that it was tiring not to be paid when it was due.

She lamented the danger associated with the job.

According to her, “it’s dangerous to sweep on the highway without adequate protection.

“We’ve been doing this job since the time of former Governors, Olusegun Mimiko and Olusegun Agagu, we have even received awards for it.

“But Since 2019 when ZL Global Alliance took over the waste management system in the state, they have not been paying our money as at when due.

“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 October, July, and November this year, has not been paid.

“Please we appeal to GM ZL, Ondo State Waste Management, the Commissioner, Chief Imam and the Oba of Akure, to please help appeal to the company to pay us our stipend,: she urged.

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

She added that “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.”

Reacting, the General Manager of the company, Biola Basorun, said that “I have had meetings with them but the issue is that some of them had issues with their account and more reason they are not getting paid.

“So, by next week they should start receiving their alert. Moreover, we are only owing them the salary of last month, which is November.” (Vanguard)

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