Waste collectors operating across Oyo State have accused some consultants engaged by the state government through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of exploiting them by using the name of Governor Seyi Makinde to justify what they described as arbitrary charges, extortion and unfair operational practices.
The aggrieved collectors made the allegations on Tuesday during an interface with the Chairman of the Oyo State Waste Management Authority, OYOWMA, Hon. Waheed Adeniyi, where they laid out a list of complaints bordering on oppression, lack of transparency, unethical operational practice, and intimidation.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Adebisi Rebecca Olabisi, one of the affected Private Sector Operators (PSPs) who protested at the OYOWMA office on Thursday, recounted her personal experience with her waste consultant under Akinyele local government.
She noted that after paying the sum of 200,000 (two hundred thousand) naira for registration as a PSP operator under the new waste management regime, the consultant covering Akinyele LG, where she operates without explanation or prior notice of any irregularity, impounded her waste truck and afterward, reassign her route to another person.
She lamented that all efforts to reclaim her truck proved abortive despite several express directives from the OYOWMA chairman, Hon. Adeniyi, to release her truck. She added that her consultant expressly asserted that additional sum of 2.5 million naira be paid for her to reclaim her truck.
Some of the collectors who expressed their grievances, said the consultants often present themselves as acting on direct instructions from the state government, a claim they described as misleading and damaging on the governor’s efforts.
They alleged that this tactic has been used as a political tool to silence dissent and compel compliance with policies and fees they said were neither clearly explained nor officially documented.
According to them, many collectors have been shortchanged financially, with earnings reduced through what they termed unexplained levies and penalties. Others complained of poor engagement, saying decisions affecting their livelihoods were frequently taken without consultation or adequate notice which has directly affected service delivery.
The collectors stressed that they remained supportive of the state government’s environmental sanitation drive and the governor’s vision for a cleaner Oyo State. However, they warned that continued exploitation under the guise of government authority could demoralize operators and undermine service delivery.
In his response, the OYOWMA Chairman, Hon. Adeniyi assured the waste collectors that the authority would not condone any form of exploitation or misrepresentation of government directives.
Adeniyi who reaffirmed that waste collection and evacuation falls under OYOWMA’s primary mandate, not the Ministry of Environment, stated clearly that no consultant had the authority to act outside approved guidelines or use the state government as a tool to intimidate or exploit operators.
He described the meeting as timely and critical in the operational scope of the agency, noting that complaints raised would be addressed transparently. According to him, the authority would engage all relevant consultants, review existing operational frameworks and ensure that waste collectors are treated fairly and in line with established regulations.
Emphasising the path forward, the OYOWMA Chairman said harmony and teamwork between consultants and private sector participants remained non-negotiable.
“The way forward is that we would like most of them, both consultants and PSPs, to work together as a team. At the end of the day, by this new year, if at all this December, I know that everything will have to work accordingly, and also deliver,” he said.
He noted that the authority was concerned by allegations that some consultants were deliberately flouting directives aimed at fostering unity towards improved service delivery.
He disclosed that discussions had already been held with the Commissioner to address operational overlaps and strengthen OYOWMA’s authority in managing stakeholders.
“So I have talked to the commissioner about it because we know how to handle them, we know how to talk to them, we know how to do this,” he added.
Highlighting the commitment of OYOWMA despite the challenges, the chairman praised the dedication of his management team, noting that many of them work round the clock to keep the state clean.
“We are going out in the evening, midnight, in the morning, early in the morning, go around, and they are doing very well,” he said.
He urged the collectors to remain calm and continue their duties, assuring them that the authority was committed to protecting their interests while sustaining the gains recorded in environmental sanitation under the Makinde administration.