Gov. Ambode
Scores of highway sweepers under the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and midwives in the state, on Monday, stormed Lagos State House of Assembly over non-payment of salaries arrears by the state government.
The protesters, who came in separate groups to protest non-payment of their salaries, lamented that life had been unbearable.
While the midwives said they were being owed more than a year salary, the sweepers said they were owed between three and five months worth the average of N12,000 per month.
A member of the highway sweepers, Yemisi Oresanwo, lamented that since they had been transfered from the Ministry of the Environment to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), life had been difficult for her and her family.
It was learnt that there are seven zones handling sweeping of highways in the state with each zone owing various salary arrears.
It was also gathered that the sweepers' monthly take home pay is N12,000 while their supervisors collect N20,000.
They added that they had lodged complaints with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment who promised to look into their demands.
Oresanwo, who is a supervisor from Ikeja zone, said it had been difficult for them to survive, saying they had complained to their boss but nothing was done.
"For me as a supervisor, I'm being owed five-month salary. Others are being owed three or four months. So we want the government to come to our aid.
"Since the time we have been transferred from MOE to LAWMA, the latter has been responsible for payment of our salaries until recently when they refuse to pay us," she said.
Also speaking, another sweeper, Abidemi Najeem, said they had endured a lot of suffering over the non-payment but that the situation had worsened in recent days especially now that schools would soon resume.
Najeem, who is representing Jibowu-Fadeyi Zone, said they were transferred to LAWMA in 2013, adding that they wanted the government to state categorically whether they were under LAWMA or MOE.
Speaking on behalf of Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), Beatrice Ajayi explained that they belonged to umbrella body for midwives in Nigeria.
According to her, they were deployed by the Federal Government to Lagos State, adding that while the Federal Government has been paying its percentage as part of the agreement, Lagos State government has refused to honour its own part.
"This is not the first time we have protested, when we protested last year, they paid 2014 arrears but left 2013 unpaid. We find it difficult to go for work as we can't afford the transport fares.
"They have been promising us but we are tired of waiting. We even borrow money to go to work," she said.
A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuff, who addressed the two groups of protesters on behalf of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, appealed to the protesters to remain calm and not take laws into their hands.
According to him, the Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, is not in the habit of owing salaries, saying the matter would be adequately addressed.
Tribune
No comments:
Post a Comment