A group of elderly women working as street sweepers under the Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYWMA) faced a challenging situation as most of them find it difficult to feed themselves due to the 5-month wages owed them.
The group of elderly women have on several occasions registered their displeasure against the continuing delay of their monthly emolument.
In an investigative report by Oduduwa News, the elderly women had worked for several months and are being subjected to untold hardship having been denied of their monthly emolument.
The stipend usually given to these women ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 has not been paid to them, piling up for several months amid the prevailing economic hardship in the country.
One will wonder that the meagre amount of money usually given to these group of women would be disbursed to them as at when due but reverse has always been the case, leaving the women to wallow in suffering and pains despite working all round the clock to tidy up the environment in Ibadan metropolis.
According to an anonymous source, it was gathered that the contractor handling the waste management in Oyo State has been shortchanging these women for a very long period of time while the women have been left to carry their cross without anybody coming to their aide.
Recall, these women had faced similar situation in the past when they were owed several months by a private contractor, West AfricaENRG contracted by Oyo State Government but later dismissed due to issue related to payment delays and record keeping discrepancies.
One would have thought that Oyo State Government would have found a lasting solution to the starvation and hunger facing these elderly women due to unnecessary delay in their monthly emolument.
The affected workers, many of whom are elderly rely on these wages for their livelihood despite the fact that they have been finding it difficult to cope with harsh economic environment.
This continuous delay in payment of contract staff underscores the challenges that can arise when public services are outsourced to private contractors without stringent oversight. It also highlights the importance of transparent record-keeping and the need for the government accountability to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable workers.