Ibrahim Odumboni, acting managing Director of the Lagos state waste management authority (LAWMA), claimed that some contractors were involved in acute practices.
According to the Nigerian tribune, Odumboni said the government approved N25,000 for each harvesting machine in the state, but the contractors shortchanged them and paid only N5,000.
He said an audit conducted by the state showed that some contractors had topped up their accounts with Ghost sweepers and supervisors.
“Our operation is such that we divide twenty councils and thirty-seven development districts of Lagos into routes. These routes, in turn, are negotiated with nurseries or contractors, if you like. These are the ones who hire sweepers and supervisors directly, ” he said.
“Our own role is to pay them and oversee that the services we pay for are delivered. In this particular case, we were told that contractors were not fulfilling their obligations to those they hired.
“In addition, we eventually discovered that the invoices submitted by the contractors were growing every month. I think the Governor was not happy with the situation. I was invited to work in may. By the time I took over, the contractors were only owed two months, contrary to rumours that the government was owed about six months.
“Of course, the inspection revealed a lot. We found that many contractors were involved in sharp practices, filling their accounts with Ghost sweepers and supervisors. Worse, they were underpaid.
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Some contractors paid hard-working sweepers N5 000, N12 000, N15 000,N18 500 monthly, while the state approves N25 000 for each sweeper and N40 000 for the overseer. This confirmed the words of Mr. Governor.”
Odumboni said Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of the state, was acquitted.
He said the state will work to put an end to this situation and ensure that limited resources are used.
Street sweepers in the state have carried out demonstrations to protest owed salaries.
