Barely 72 hours after the angry demonstration, the Kano state government has agreed to settle the outstanding 10-month allowances of street sweepers engaged by state Refuse Management and Sanitation Board.
The angry casual workers accused the new management of the refuse board of refusal and total negligence to pay for their sweat.
Although, the Managing Director of the board, Haruna Danzago has disowned the protesting sweepers and insisted government was not owing any backlog.
Addressing journalists shortly after inspecting the monthly sanitation exercise, Commissioner for Environment Alh. Nasiru Sule Garo said the government has accepted to settle allowances of the sweepers.
Although, the commissioner reminded the outstanding claims were indebted to the immediate past administration, he disclosed that Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf has directed immediate sorting and release of funds to the affected persons.
“ The Governor Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf, has instructed us to look into the issue of the street sweepers and we realized after evaluation that the sweepers were being owed two or three months without payment. We also verified those that are participating in the street sweeping and we have done that and submitted our report.
But along the line, there was a misunderstanding from REMASAB, they went ahead to pay some people their money while others were not paid. So we received these complaints and brought them to His Excellency and he has asked us to look into the situation and pay anyone with genuine evidence.
” So we have invited anyone with genuine concern of outstanding payment to come to the Ministry of Environment with evidence. We would check and if it is genuine such a person will be paid”, the Commissioner said.
Meanwhile, Nasiru has said that the ministry would invite the management of the Abattoir located in Dala local government area to strategies on how Boucher’s will not only stop operation during exercise but participate fully.
The commissioner also called on parents to stop their children from playing football during monthly environmental sanitation, saying the time is dedicated to cleaning of people’s domain and clearance of drainages adding anybody found wanting will be sanctioned appropriately.
During the exercise, the mobile court attached to the central sanitation committee arrested 45 defaulters and fined them the sum of 75,500 Naira.