In Akure, the capital city of Ondo State, a group of female street sweepers has initiated a public demonstration to protest against the non-payment of their stipends, which have been outstanding for the last four months.
The demonstrators, many of whom are widows, assembled at the Ministry of Environment to voice their discontent and threatened to commence a strike action if their overdue payments are not settled immediately.
Adorned in their signature green uniforms, the aggrieved workers expressed their dissatisfaction with the management of ZL Global Alliances, the private firm tasked with the state’s waste management and recycling operations.
Despite their diligent efforts in maintaining the cleanliness of the city’s streets, highways, and marketplaces, the women reported that they have yet to receive their promised monthly stipend of N10,000.
Oluwaseun Ogunniyi, one of the Akure Street Sweepers leaders and a former employee of the Ondo State Waste Management Board, highlighted the plight of the workers, stating that since their contract with ZL Global Alliance began in 2019, there have been no promotions, and their remuneration has been reduced from the initial N20,000 to N10,000, with a recent adjustment to N15,000.
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The workers, who often conclude their duties as late as 5pm, have voiced their grievances repeatedly, only to be met with silence from the company. One of the workers, Bimbo Adekunle, a senior citizen in her late 60s, emphasized the hardship of starting their workday at 4:30am without receiving timely compensation.
In response to the protests, Tobi Benjamin, the Deputy Managing Director of ZL Global Alliance, acknowledged the political tensions in Ondo State and criticized certain factions for attempting to exploit the situation for political gain.
He urged these groups to refrain from using the company’s employees as pawns in their political maneuvers, asserting the firm’s reputation as a credible business entity.