Streets Sweepers Demand Unpaid Stipends in Akure Protest

 RALD NEWS MEDIA REPORT

Headline:Streets Sweepers Demand Unpaid Stipends in Akure Protest

Akure, Ondo State - December 11, 2023

In a fervent demonstration, female street sweepers, including widows, voiced their dissatisfaction with four months of unpaid stipends in Akure, the capital of Ondo State. The protesters, adorned in green jackets and armed with brooms, gathered at the Ministry of Environment to express their grievances against ZL Global Alliance, their employer responsible for waste management and recycling in the state.

Leader Oluwaseun Ogunniyi, representing the former staff of Ondo State Waste Management under ZL Global Alliance since 2019, highlighted their essential role in maintaining cleanliness on streets, highways, and markets. The protesters, owed N10,000 for four months, decried the treatment by ZL Global Alliances, citing a reduction in payment from the previous N20,000 to the current N15,000, without any promotions.

Ogunniyi emphasized the financial strain on the sweepers, stating, "We close as late as 5 pm. I use N1000 per day to and from work, and I am a widow. If they don't pay us, then we won't work again."

Bimbo Adekunle, an elderly protester, shared the challenges of working from 4:30 am, unpaid for months, and facing dangers while sweeping highways without adequate protection. She appealed to authorities, including ZL Global Alliance, Ondo State Waste Management, and local leaders, urging them to settle the outstanding stipends.

ZL Global's Managing Director, Mrs. Biola Bashorun, responded, attributing the payment delays to account issues, assuring that those affected would receive their stipends by the following week. Bashorun clarified that the pending payment only covered the salary for the previous month, November. The protesters urged a return to state management for more reliable compensation.

Reporting for RALD NEWS MEDIA - Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.