Contractors tasked with keeping Nigeria’s capital city clean have issued a stern warning: unless the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, settles nine months of unpaid wages, waste collection services across Abuja will be suspended from September 25.
The contractors, operating under the Association of FCT Solid Waste and Cleaning Contractors, AFSOWAC, said they could no longer sustain their operations without urgent financial intervention.
In a letter to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, the association explained that its members had been working without pay since January 2025, a situation they described as both unfair and unsustainable.
AFSOWAC represents contractors handling sanitation across 44 service lots in Abuja. Collectively, its members clear more than 1,000 tonnes of waste daily using over 100 refuse trucks and 60 tippers. The operations employ more than 3,000 workers, many of whom rely entirely on the job for their livelihood.
According to the association, contractors had initially managed to stay afloat by borrowing from banks and informal lenders to cover running costs, staff salaries, and vehicle maintenance. However, with resources now exhausted, they said it was impossible to continue.
“Despite our loyalty and sustained service delivery, we have not received payments since January 2025. We have reached a point where passion and commitment alone cannot sustain this essential service. Without payment, we cannot continue,” the group warned.
The contractors also accused the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), which supervises sanitation contracts, of issuing directives on waste management daily while ignoring the financial crisis threatening the system.
They added that waste build-up had already become noticeable in parts of the city, threatening Abuja’s reputation for cleanliness.
AFSOWAC also drew attention to the poor state of the Gosa dumpsite, describing it as “deplorable.” They urged immediate government intervention to improve access roads, provide equipment, and upgrade facilities to prevent operational breakdown.
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Beyond the unpaid wages, the contractors expressed frustration that current payments were still based on outdated rates fixed before key economic shifts, including fuel subsidy removal and the sharp depreciation of the naira.
Rising costs of fuel, spare parts, and labour, they said, had made it impossible to operate effectively under the old pricing framework.
They therefore called on the FCTA to fast-track the procurement process it initiated in October 2024, so that contract rates reflect current realities.
Warning of the risks if government fails to act, the group said a strike would not only endanger jobs but also expose Abuja residents to public health dangers from uncollected waste.
“Without urgent intervention, sanitation services will be disrupted, livelihoods will be threatened, and public health put at risk,” the group stressed.
For now, the contractors say they remain committed to their duties—but only if the government meets its obligations.
News Express
