LAWMA: Protest by street sweepers over salary was planned to embarrass Sanwo-Olu and me-Coordinator
…. Pays outstanding salaries of street sweepers
A co-coordinator of street sweepers in Lagos State under the state’s Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mrs Ola Williams has said that those alleging that she has been swindling the state government through LAWMA contract are either out to malign her and paint the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in bad light.
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Mrs Williams who spoke while paying about 1929 sweepers working with LAWMA their April salary noted that the delay in payment which led to some protest was caused by some mix up.
Speaking to our correspondent during the payment exercise to the sweepers who had earlier protested over none payment of their salary, the coordinator appreciated the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his efforts.
“We appreciate the governor for this April salary and we are also using this medium to inform him that the payment of our salary should always come promptly because most of us are widows with no other means to survive,” one of the sweeper, Mrs Sharon said.
Meanwhile, Williams has cleared air on allegations making round in some media that she has been swindling the state government through LAWMA contract.
According to her, in the news making the round mentioning her among the contractors that defrauded the state government was far from the truth, adding that the ongoing auditing by the state government would reveal the truth.
Williams who just came out of sick bed, however, said that the allegations against her were the handiwork of her antagonists or enemies.
“My attention has been drawn to allegations and propaganda going on in some media that I defrauded the state government through the sweepers’ salary.
To set the record straight, I will like to let you know that nothing of such has ever happened from me. This is nothing but a handiwork of my antagonists. As a matter of fact and for reference purpose, this contract was a little way to compensating the widows and also create jobs for the unemployed youths in the society who worked tirelessly during the election.
“And when we were going through rough experience during the elections period they were not with us, but now that we were given the contract to help the youths and the widows who work tirelessly.
“However, whoever that says I swindled the state government should come up with their proof. I have the record of all the sweepers under me. Let the auditors proceed on their work for verification purposes. And I will appreciate the auditor visit the sweepers beat during their working hours which is between 7am and 1pm to confirm if actually they are ghost workers.”
On the recent protest over none payment of sweepers’ salary, Williams said this was done without her prior notice, adding that she was hospitalised.
She, however, implored the state government to keep up with the prompt payment of the sweepers.
Meanwhile, sources from the LAWMA office had claimed that Williams’ ordeal was orchestrated by some forces in the agency who were not pleased with her getting the contract.
It was also learnt that audited reports provided to implicate her was falsified to create commotion in the agency.
“The commotion was created by some forces in the agency. They felt the woman was getting too much, so, they have to deal with her. The claimed audited report was forged to implicate her. Let proper auditing be done and truth be unveiled. As a matter of fact, some of the routes they claimed belong to this woman were owed by some of the party leaders and traditional rulers.”
Some of the sweepers who spoke with our correspondent said their condition became worst with the new management under Mr Ibrahim Odumboni.
They alleged that Ibrahim was planning to ease Williams out of the contract in order to give the contract to his people.
Meanwhile, all efforts to hear from Mr Ibrahim over the allegation was unsuccessful as call put through to his mobile phones received no response.
