PWD bridge sweepers appeal to Sanwo-Olu to raise their pay to cope with hardship
PWD bridge sweepers seek pay rise to feed selves and families amid high inflation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Some persons with disability (PWDs) employed as street sweepers by the Lagos government have appealed to Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu to consider the current economic hardship and increase their salary to enable them cope with the high cost of living in Nigeria’s most expensive state where everything is paid for.
The PWDs are employed by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to sweep pedestrian bridges across the metropolis, a scheme started by former Governor Babatude Fashola to wean PWDs off begin.
Those who sweep bridges in the Oshodi area disclosed they earn between N5,000 and N30,000 monthly, some said they rely solely on alms from the public.
One of them, Sayo Ajayi, who showed The PUNCH his LAWMA employment identity card, lamented his N5,000 salary monthly is too small to sustain him and his family.
He was a beggar for seven years before he joined LAWMA.
Ajayi said it is now difficult for him to climb the bridge to carry out his task, but has no choice since he needs to take care of his family.
“Some years ago, my colleague and I were paid N12,000 to share, and the official who was bringing the money then would remove N1,000 from. But now they pay N5,000 directly to my account,” he said.
“It is not easy surviving with N5,000 per month, especially in the current economic situation.
“I come from Orile-Iganmu to Oshodi here in the morning and leave around 3pm. I get up to N1,500 or more from some pedestrians and I spend almost N1,000 on transport, so I use whatever is left to support my wife and only child.”
Other PWD sweepers who recounted their ordeal include Alowonle, Umoru Muhammed, and Abiodun.
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Alowonle
Alowonle, who claimed to have been working for LAWMA for 12 years, said he is paid N30,000 per month but the salary is not sufficient for the needs of himself and his family, according to The PUNCH.
“LAWMA employed me from Alausa and my monthly salary is N30,000. I live at Atan but I only go home on Fridays or Saturdays.
“During the week, I sleep at Anthony. The money is not much so I can’t waste it on transportation. I have a family to feed. I have five children, and some are still in school.
“The other sweeper you saw is not yet a registered staff member. The ID card he was given is just to defend himself so that he won’t be taken away with beggars. For them to become staff members, they need to be registered from Alausa.”
Umoru Muhammed
“LAWMA has never paid me. They just gave me an ID card. It was the Chairman at Ojota Bridge that gave me the ID card but I have never been paid. I sweep this whole bridge alone and when I leave here, I go inside Oshodi market to sleep.
“Passers-by are the ones who give me money. It is not easy sweeping the bridge but I prefer it to begging and getting arrested like others, so I just keep managing myself.”
Abiodun
“I am not being paid by the government, it’s just people that give me alms while I sweep the bridge.
“I would love to be a shoemaker, I can make sandals and slippers but I don’t have money to buy the instruments needed, So, I just sweep here instead, hoping that people will give me money.”
LAWMA says no sweeper earns N5,000 monthly
LAWMA Public Affairs Director Folashade Kadiri said the organisation is committed to ensuring its workers receive a fair and competitive compensation for their efforts and no street sweeper earns N5,000 per month.
“Regarding the claim by some disabled sweepers allegedly being paid only N5,000 monthly or receiving no compensation at all, it is fictitious and we don’t have people earning such an amount on our payroll,” she said.
“We take such allegations seriously, and are actively investigating the claim and even the ID card in the possession of the person, as we need to know who signed it.”
