FCT Waste Contractors Urge Wike To Resolve 7-Month Payment Arrears

Waste disposal contractors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene in resolving a seven-month backlog of payment arrears owed to over 300 workers across various area councils.

The contractors, who operate under the Waste Disposal Contractors Forum, made their appeal during a press briefing held on Wednesday in Abuja. They expressed growing frustration over the lack of payment despite having fulfilled their contractual obligations, which began in April 2022 and are set to last for three years.

Unpaid for 7 Months

John Okafor, one of the forum leaders, explained the gravity of the situation. “As of now, it is the seventh month running without payment. Waste management services are capital-intensive. We spend money on diesel, servicing our equipment, paying salaries, and covering other logistics. Yet, for the past seven months, we have not received any payment,” Okafor said.

The contractors highlighted their attempts to engage with the relevant authorities. They stated that despite reaching out to the Satellite Town Development Department (their supervisory agency), they had been informed that the payments were yet to receive approval from the minister. “We have written to the Honourable Minister, but we do not know where the issue lies,” Okafor added.

He further revealed that the financial strain had put the contractors and their employees in a difficult position, with workers left without pay during the December holidays. “Our workers had to celebrate the festivities without money, and it pained us deeply. Our lenders have also stopped extending credit to us because they say we have not been able to repay as previously agreed.”

Urgent Appeal to the Minister

The contractors, who are responsible for waste management across six area councils in the FCT, made a passionate plea to Minister Wike for urgent intervention. “We are begging the Honourable Minister to graciously attend to our urgent plea. This is not just for our sake but for the over 300 workers who depend on these payments,” Okafor emphasized.

Another leader of the forum, Alhaji Mohamed Bala, further expressed the critical nature of the waste management service they provide. “Waste management is a pragmatic exercise; if we do not evacuate waste, it will accumulate,” Bala said. He pointed to the contractors’ consistent work across 23 locations in the six area councils, emphasizing that they were doing their part even though local governments were not providing adequate waste management services.

Bala also provided documentation to support their claims, stating, “We have pictures and GPS data to verify our work from July until now. Our work extends beyond routine waste collection to assisting local governments that lack adequate waste management services. But we cannot continue doing this without timely payments.”

Contractors Demand Accountability

The contractors also stressed that they are ready to provide evidence of their work to counter any misinformation regarding their performance. They have insisted that they are fulfilling their contractual obligations and are actively involved in waste management across the FCT.

“We are working actively across 23 different locations in the six area councils. We are not waiting for local governments to take action; we are here as intervenors. But for local governments to leave all waste management duties to us is unfair,” Bala said.

With mounting concerns over the unpaid arrears and the critical nature of their work, the contractors are hopeful that Minister Wike will act swiftly to resolve the issue and ensure the continuation of essential waste management services across the FCT.