Street sweepers employed by the Lagos Waste Management Authority have raised fresh concerns over what they described as persistent harassment, discrimination and unsafe working conditions on Lagos roads, recounting daily experiences of verbal abuse, intimidation and neglect by motorists, residents and roadside traders.
The sweepers shared their stories during a recent episode of The Morayo Show, which celebrated their work and amplified the challenges they face in keeping the city clean.
Several of the workers said they are often treated with disdain by members of the public, despite providing what they described as an essential service to the state.
Kafilat, one of the sweepers, narrated frequent confrontations with motorists who park indiscriminately along major roads.
“Some will park at the roadside indiscriminately and tell us that there is nowhere they can park, that we should go and sweep another axis. And the spot they direct us to is another person’s portion,” she said.
Another sweeper, Olatitoye Adeola, lamented how residents bring refuse from their homes and dump it on cleared roads long after LAWMA trucks have evacuated waste.
“I want to talk about people that bring refuse from their houses and dump it on the road. When we caution them, they are ready to beat us.
“Their excuse is that the LAWMA bus did not pick their dirt, even when the vehicle has already taken what we swept. They bring the refuse late and dump it there. They will ask us, ‘Is it your father’s land?’ and threaten us,” she said.
Taiwo Ologunro described a cycle of repeated work made futile by roadside traders and residents.
“When we finish our work, our boss will ask us to go back to the spot. When we return, the traders have dirtied the place again.
“It is the elites in Lagos that dirty the roads. They are wealthier and more exposed than us, yet they flood the city with dirt. Some throw refuse from their cars at us and say, ‘Don’t you get paid?,” she said.
She also raised concerns about open defecation on highways and inner roads.
“Open defecation is another issue we face. Both the homeless and the employed do it. We pack faeces with our hands.
“The stench is terrible. Commuters complain too, but nothing changes. I just hope something can be done,” Ologunro said.
Victoria Bamgbose spoke about harassment from hoodlums and roadside sellers, saying sweepers are often forced to redo their work under supervision.
“When we are sweeping, they will see us working and then dirty the place again. Hoodlums break bottles on the road, and we have to resweep because our supervisors will check.
“Please help us speak to them,” she said.
Fatimo Akinduro revealed that sweepers are sometimes tasked with clearing ritual items and remains dumped at road junctions.
“We have no choice than to clear them from the main road with our hands. We put on gloves and carry them into our sacks.
“Sometimes we pack dead babies wrapped in polythene bags, and dead goats. If it’s a dead body, we call our bosses or the 112 line,” she said.
Another sweeper, Kehinde Ajibade, said while welfare and payment were generally satisfactory, access to healthcare remained a challenge.
“I went to a general hospital in my uniform and I was stigmatised. They shouted at me and treated me unfairly.
“Another colleague told me I should not wear my uniform because they discriminate against us,” she said.
Kalejaiye Adenike described what she called the “bad part of Nigerians” while sweepers are on duty.
“Some people treat us like trash, as if we are nobody.
“People from estates bring dustbins from their houses and throw it on us. When you correct them, they say they are paying you. They are ready to fight,” she said.
Other sweepers also spoke about accidents on the road and the lack of emergency assistance.
“If anyone of us has an accident and we call for help, most car owners do not answer us.
“Someone that could survive may not, because help does not come on time,” one said.
Responding to the complaints on the show, LAWMA Managing Director, Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, acknowledged the risks sweepers face daily and outlined steps taken by the Lagos State Government to improve their welfare and safety.
He disclosed that the state government had approved health insurance coverage for LAWMA sweepers.
“Mr Governor approved health insurance enrollment for every single sweeper, 16,000 of them.
“We have done biometric registration. You should get your health insurance card. Once you have it, hospitals are obligated to treat you,” Gbadegeshin said.
He also warned residents against dumping refuse on roads, noting that enforcement had been stepped up.
“Nobody is supposed to dump waste on the road. It is against the law.
“Last year, we arrested about 1,000 people statewide, and 447 were prosecuted. Some are even serving jail sentences, ” he said.
On road safety, Gbadegeshin said CCTV cameras were being deployed to monitor reckless driving, including by BRT and commercial bus drivers.“Some sweepers are injured from time to time, and we don’t want that,” he said.
“We will be able to trace any vehicle endangering the life of a sweeper.”
Calling for greater public empathy, the LAWMA boss urged Lagosians to respect sweepers and the work they do.
“The first job I ever had in my life was as a janitor, a sweeper.
“We are all human beings. Whether you are a sweeper, a doctor or a big man, we are all the same. Everybody matters,” he said.
The episode highlighted not just the physical toll of keeping Lagos clean, but also the social cost borne daily by the men and women tasked with maintaining the city’s roads, often unseen, unheard and, as they say, mistreated.
