The Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA), Mr. Abayomi Hunye, has denied allegations of extortion levelled against him by members of the Ogun State chapter of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria.
Hunye stated that he may take legal action against the association for defaming his character and clarified that no vendor has ever paid money into his personal account, insisting that all payments were made directly into the agency’s official account.
“I wonder why anyone would categorise payments into government coffers as extortion,” Hunye said on Thursday while addressing the allegations during a media briefing organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State.
The MD also defended the recent increase in the annual registration fee for waste vendors from N100,000 to N200,000, noting that the revision was agreed upon collectively with members after consultations regarding rising operational costs.
“From 2021, they were paying N100,000. By 2024, after meetings explaining that running the agency had become more expensive, they agreed to N200,000, which was paid for 2024 and 2025. So why the protest now?” he questioned.
Hunye explained that the ongoing protest was triggered by his decision to cancel multiple company registrations by some vendors who had registered more than one business, taking opportunities meant for others. He emphasised that the association never submitted formal complaints to OGWAMA before staging the protest and noted that some of the individuals claiming leadership positions had been suspended since November 2023.
“We urge them to reconcile with the legitimate leadership or obtain a court ruling confirming their authority,” he said.
In response, the association’s Chairman, Mrs. Opeoluwa Balogun, rejected claims of internal factions, alleging that any division was orchestrated by the MD. She said she assumed leadership after the previous chairman’s tenure ended in 2023.
Balogun insisted that the protest was a last resort after repeated meetings with Hunye and the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, failed to resolve key issues. She accused the MD of focusing solely on raising registration fees while neglecting responsibilities such as monitoring unlicensed vendors.
“We have text messages and recordings documenting our repeated attempts to resolve these matters. Despite our efforts, the MD has ignored legitimate concerns. We will continue our protest and pursue all legal avenues to secure justice for our members,” Balogun said.
The association further urged the agency to address problematic individuals directly instead of taking actions that disrupt the operations of other registered vendors.
Elijah Adeyemi
