Hundreds of street sweepers protest in Lagos, accuse Visionscape of ill-treatment

Hundreds of Lagos State Street cleaners and sweepers on Monday besieged the gates leading to the State House of Assembly and the Governor’s office to protest the non-payment of two months’ salary by the state government.

The spokesman of the aggrieved sweepers, Mr. Atobiloye Olajide lamented the shabby treatment meted out on them by Visionscape, the company contracted by the state government to handle waste management as well as the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment for failing to provide basic equipment and welfare needed to do their jobs.

Another sweeper, Ugochukwu Gift alleged that at the point of employment, they were promised loan packages, general health and accident insurance but that unfortunately even the brooms used for sweeping were being purchased by the sweepers themselves.

A pregnant sweeper, Oluwatosin Oduntan who spoke in tears described the attitude of the Visionscape officials as callous when she revealed that one of the sweepers was refused help at the point of death until he lost his life.

Meanwhile, Our State House Correspondent Immanuel Odeyemi reports that a source within the Ministry of the Environment said an audit of the sweepers was being carried with a view to ensuring the payment of their outstanding salaries before Thursday.