Ad hoc staff of the Oyo State Environmental Vanguard have appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene in what they described as harsh, unsafe and unconducive working conditions under the state Ministry of Environment.
The workers, who spoke with WesternDailyNews, alleged that they had been subjected to difficult working conditions, inadequate security arrangements while carrying out their duties of enforcing environmental regulations across the state.
Some of the workers alleged that the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ademola Temitayo Aderinto, had failed to adequately address their concerns despite several complaints, adding that the situation had frustrated some members of the workforce into abandoning the job.
According to the workers, their primary responsibilities include curbing indiscriminate dumping of refuse and roadside trading, particularly in areas where environmental regulations are being enforced.
They explained that, initially, security personnel were attached to their operations and a government vehicle was provided to convey persons apprehended for alleged environmental offences to the Ministry of Environment for appropriate action, including payment of fines where applicable.
The workers, however, claimed that the security personnel and vehicle were withdrawn after a few months, leaving them to carry out enforcement duties without adequate protection or transportation.
They said the development had exposed them to attacks and harassment from members of the public, particularly during attempts to apprehend persons allegedly involved in indiscriminate waste disposal or roadside trading.
The workers said that in some instances, offenders who agreed to accompany them to the Ministry had to be transported on commercial motorcycles, a situation they claimed had exposed both the officers and suspects to ridicule and attacks.
They alleged that some of their colleagues had been beaten or injured when members of the public realised that they were operating without security personnel or an official government vehicle.
One of the workers said, “As of today, all our complaints are not being attended to. They want us to work without security and a vehicle, yet our members are being harassed and beaten every day when we go out to work.
“They gave us a target that we must bring offenders, but did not empower us. Even if we manage to take any offenders to the office and they can’t pay, we will still be the ones to suffer for it with our salary
The workers further alleged that they were required to work from Monday to Saturday, between 7am and 7pm, but that some members of the ad hoc workforce were sometimes not paid for periods when they allegedly failed to meet prescribed targets.
They claimed that the withdrawal of security personnel and official transportation had made it increasingly difficult to meet the targets set for them, while their complaints to the Ministry had allegedly not received the attention they expected.
According to them, some workers had also had their salaries withheld as a result of alleged failure to meet targets, despite the challenges confronting their operations.
The ad hoc staff appealed to Governor Makinde to investigate their complaints, review the conditions under which they operate and provide the necessary security and logistical support required for effective environmental enforcement.
They also called for clearer and more humane working conditions, regular payment of their entitlements and a mechanism through which their grievances could be formally reviewed without fear of punishment.
The workers further begged Governor Makinde to intervene in the case of their colleagues who had been unjustly sacked, urging him to facilitate the recall and reinstatement of all affected workers
The workers maintained that they remained committed to supporting the state’s environmental sanitation efforts but stressed that adequate protection, transportation and fair treatment were necessary for them to effectively perform their duties.
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