The Lagos State House of Assembly has asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to investigate those behind a viral video, where some sweepers working for the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) were protesting the non-payment of their salaries.
This was contained in the Lagos State House of Assembly motion number 22 moved by Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere Constituency 1) along with other lawmakers during plenary on Monday 6th July.
The motion was entitled; “Need to Enhance Waste Management In Lagos State.”
Hon. Desmond Elliot stated that the House resolved to commend the efforts of the Lagos State government on waste management in the state.
Elliot stressed that the House condemned those behind the videos that went viral on the issue of non-payment of the salaries of sweepers by LAWMA and that the House called on the governor and the Ministry of the Environment to look into it and punish the culprits.
The House then called on Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to direct the Commissioner, Ministry of Finance, Accountant General, State Treasury Office, The Commissioner of the Environment and Water Resources, the Acting Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority as well as other relevant Agencies to expedite action on the payment of all outstanding allowances of the sweepers.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu should direct the Commissioner, Ministry of Information and Strategy in conjunction with the relevant agencies to sensitize members of the public on the need to dispose their refuse properly and the importance of having waste bin in their respective houses; and mandate the Committee on the Environment to investigate the immediate and remote causes of these irregularities in LAWMA with a view to finding a lasting solution to the matter,” he said.
While stating that the House was mindful of the modern technology deployed by the state government to ensure a cleaner Lagos, he said that the Governor should mandate the Committee on the Environment to investigate the activities of LAWMA to make their job more effective.
Elliot added that everything was going smoothly before COVID-19, and that with COVID-19, the state suffered a lot over IGRs.
In his comment, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa stated that there was need to address the issues raised by the staff of LAWMA.
Obasa stated sweepers were employed to sweep Lagos State roads based on humanitarian gesture of the state government, which he said had the alternative of using mechanised ways of removing wastes in the state.
“The state can come up with mechanised ways of removing wastes. We also want to reduce crime, which was why we are doing the job manually.
“We should condemn those behind the video because there are many ways of making their grievances known. The issue started during the out break of COVID-19 and everybody was affected.
Those behind the video should be brought to book. We should condemn those going to the media to embarrass the government.
“For those who played roles in the delay of the salaries of the sweepers, the committee should see how they could be held responsible,” he said.
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