Ogun waste vendors’ protest meant to tarnish my image – OGWAMA boss

…says allegations baseless

By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA), Mr. Abayomi Hunye, has dismissed as unfounded allegations raised by members of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria (AWMVRN), describing the protest as an attempt to pressure the agency into condoning illegal practices.

Recall that members of the group had on Monday staged a protest in Abeokuta over alleged extortion, arbitrary levies and attempts to edge out long-standing operators in the state’s scrap and recycling sector.

However, Hunye, in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Tuesday, said the individuals who organised the protest had been suspended by their own association long before his appointment as MD/CEO of OGWAMA.

“For the avoidance of doubt, these individuals were suspended by their association on November 20, 2023, well before I was appointed as MD/CEO of OGWAMA,” the statement read.

He disclosed that prior to his assumption of office, several petitions had been written against the group by the leadership of their association to OGWAMA and other security and oversight agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the Ogun State House of Assembly and the Nigeria Police Force.

According to Hunye, the suspension followed documented allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and forgery.

The OGWAMA boss explained that upon assuming office, he made it clear that the agency would neither support nor condone any form of illegality, stressing that his refusal to compromise institutional standards was the real reason behind the protest.

“It is surprising that I am being accused of collecting money from these individuals when all available evidence shows that payments made were duly remitted into the coffers of the Ogun State Government,” he said.

Hunye added that OGWAMA under his leadership had introduced impartial, transparent and accountable operational policies, including the discontinuation of multiple and illegal registrations by individuals; a practice he said the protesting group opposed because of the benefits they previously enjoyed.

He maintained that internal disputes within associations should be resolved internally, noting that OGWAMA would continue to uphold the law and would not tolerate illegal activities under any guise.

Reassuring residents of Ogun State, Hunye described himself as a man of integrity committed to transparency, due process and the effective delivery of the agency’s mandate.

“I urge the general public to disregard the claims and actions of this group, as their allegations are clearly aimed at forcing the agency to allow practices that are illegal and against public interest,” he said.

He reaffirmed OGWAMA’s commitment to professionalism, environmental sustainability and the collective good of Ogun State, while thanking the public for their continued support.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Ogun State, Mr. Adesanya Kunle, has also confirmed that the protesters had been suspended indefinitely since 2023 and were no longer recognised as executive members of the association.

Addressing a press conference, Adesanya disclosed that the suspended individuals subsequently formed another association, “Association of Waste Managers, Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria”.

“All these people parading themselves as authentic members of the association are not. They have been suspended since 2023 due to illegal practices against OGWAMA and the state government,” he said.

He alleged that the group was involved in multiple violations, including registering more than one venture contrary to state government policy.

“The reason they protested against the SA/MD, Mr. Abayomi Hunye, is because he refused to condone corruption. They wanted him to approve their illegal acts, and when they failed, they resorted to unfounded allegations,” Adesanya added.

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