Abuja Waste Contractors Threaten Strike Over Nine Months’ Unpaid Wages

Contractors responsible for cleaning the Federal Capital Territory have threatened to halt operations from September 25 following the non-payment of nine months’ wages.

Operating under the Association of FCT Solid Waste and Cleaning Contractors (AFSOWAC), the group issued the warning in a letter to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, stressing that it could no longer guarantee seamless sanitation services without immediate settlement of debts.

The contractors, who manage waste disposal across 44 zones in Abuja, said they clear over 1,000 tonnes of refuse daily with more than 100 trucks and 60 tippers, engaging over 3,000 workers whose livelihoods depend on the job. They lamented sustaining operations through loans that are now exhausted, while the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) continues to give daily directives without addressing the financial crisis.

AFSOWAC also described the Gosa dumpsite as being in a deplorable state and urged urgent intervention, while calling on the FCT Administration to adjust payment rates in line with current economic realities. The association warned that if payments were not made, a strike could lead to massive waste build-up in the capital, posing serious public health and safety risks.