Street sweepers working under the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have spoken out against what they describe as daily harassment, discrimination and dangerous working conditions while carrying out their duties across Lagos roads.
The sweepers shared their experiences on a recent episode of The Morayo Show, where they recounted repeated verbal abuse, intimidation and neglect from motorists, residents and roadside traders, despite playing a crucial role in keeping the city clean.
Several of the workers said members of the public often treat them with disrespect, making their jobs unnecessarily difficult. One sweeper, Kafilat, said motorists frequently park indiscriminately and order sweepers to move elsewhere, even when the area assigned to them has already been cleared.
Another sweeper, Olatitoye Adeola, lamented that residents regularly dump refuse on cleaned roads after LAWMA trucks have evacuated waste, adding that attempts to caution offenders often lead to threats and physical intimidation.
Taiwo Ologunro described how traders and residents repeatedly dirty areas that have already been swept, forcing workers to redo their tasks under supervision. She accused some elites of worsening sanitation problems by throwing refuse from their vehicles and openly mocking sweepers.
She also raised concerns over open defecation on major roads, saying sweepers are forced to pack human waste by hand amid unbearable stench and health risks.
Victoria Bamgbose said sweepers frequently face harassment from hoodlums and roadside traders, while Fatimo Akinduro revealed that workers are sometimes tasked with clearing ritual items, animal remains and even dead infants dumped at road junctions.
Another sweeper, Kehinde Ajibade, noted that while wages and welfare were generally acceptable, access to healthcare remained a major challenge, citing cases of discrimination at public hospitals because of their uniforms.
Several sweepers also expressed fears over road accidents, saying injured colleagues often struggle to get timely help from motorists.
Responding to the complaints, LAWMA Managing Director, Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, acknowledged the risks faced by sweepers and said the Lagos State Government had approved health insurance coverage for all 16,000 sweepers, adding that biometric registration had already been completed.
He warned residents against indiscriminate waste disposal, revealing that over 1,000 offenders were arrested last year, with hundreds prosecuted and some jailed. Gbadegeshin also disclosed that CCTV cameras were being deployed to monitor reckless driving and protect sweepers on duty.
Calling for greater empathy, the LAWMA boss urged Lagosians to respect sweepers, stressing that dignity and safety should not depend on one’s occupation.
The discussion highlighted not only the physical burden of maintaining Lagos’ cleanliness but also the social cost borne daily by the sweepers, many of whom say they remain unseen, unheard and mistreated while serving the city.
