Lagos street sweepers shun work in protest of colleagues’ death

From Dotun Omishakin, Lagos

Sanitation workers (street sweepers) in the employment of the Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), on Tuesday, down tools to mourn the death of their colleagues on Oshodi-Gbagada expressway inward Iyana-Oworo axis.

The street sweepers were thrown into mourning on Monday after the tragic loss of two of their colleagues who were hit by a driver who was trying to evade arrest from officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA.

It was learnt that the driver of the vehicle turned himself in to the police on Monday night.

Daily Trust, however, observed that the sanitation workers on Tuesday shunned the expressway, especially Charlie boy bus-stop, where the accident happened.

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However, normal business activities have resumed in the area after it was disrupted by a protest which greeted the accident on Monday.

Sources within the environ confirmed that none of the street sweepers was on duty on Tuesday.

“There are three at this particular junction (Charlie boy bus-stop), but two of them of the same family fell victim of the incident yesterday (Monday). Today (Tuesday), the third person who is a man did not come and none of the sweepers was on the expressway,” said a member of the NURTW at Charlie Boy bus-stop.

The spokesperson of LAWMA, Folashade Kadiri, who did not confirm if there was a directive to the sanitation workers to shun the area, added that it is normal for the street sweepers to mourn their colleagues.

“Even if there was no directive, it is the proper thing for them to do, so allow us and the deceased family to mourn,” she said.

She disclosed that the police were investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the sweepers.