Waste management firms contracted by the Satellite Town Development Department (STDD) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have called on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to approve their six months of outstanding payments.

Speaking on behalf of the STDD Waste Contractors Forum, John Okafor said the delayed payments for work already completed are causing them financial difficulties, making it impossible to pay workers’ salaries.

Okafor, in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that despite the payment delays, workers have continued to evacuate solid waste from designated locations across the FCT’s six area councils.

“In April 2022, 23 waste management firms were contracted for three years to handle solid waste evacuation in 23 selected areas within the six area councils of the FCT. This was intended as an intervention, not a replacement for the area council authorities’ responsibilities in waste management.

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“For six months now, we have not received payment. Waste management is capital-intensive. We incur costs for diesel, salaries, equipment maintenance, and other logistics,” he stated

Okafor added that the contractors have written to the minister and engaged the STDD, the supervising agency for the project, but no payments have been approved.

“The lack of payment has placed us in severe distress. We are unable to pay over 300 workers across the six area councils. Creditors have also stopped lending to us due to our inability to repay loans on time.

“This is an urgent appeal to the minister to approve our payments for the sake of our workers,” Okafor pleaded.

Another contractor, Alhaji Muhammad Bala, echoed these concerns, pointing out that their workload has increased significantly. “Our mandate was to intervene in areas where the local councils are struggling, but it appears they have left the responsibility entirely to us.

“Every time we evacuate waste, STDD supervisors and area council representatives are present to monitor and document the work, submitting reports with photos to their respective offices.”

The contractors emphasized the urgent need for payment to enable them to sustain their operations and pay their workers.