The Taraba State government has lowered the monthly earnings of street sweepers employed under the Operation Keep Taraba Clean initiative, dropping their pay from N15,000 to N10,000. Officials stated that this adjustment is required to integrate a wave of new personnel into the state’s workforce.
Hon. Illiya Kefas, chairman of the Taraba State Environmental and Sanitation Agency, verified the salary change during a press briefing in Jalingo. He explained that the mandate came directly from Governor Agbu Kefas, who is looking to streamline state finances following recent recruitment efforts across both state and local government sectors.
These sweepers, first hired in 2023, originally earned N20,000 per month. Their pay was previously decreased to N15,000 in 2024 under the threat of termination. Kefas attributed the latest cut to fiscal constraints and reduced allocations from the Federation Account. Addressing potential dissent, the chairman noted that the agency holds the authority to set wages at N10,000, adding that any worker dissatisfied with the compensation is free to resign.
Kefas defended the financial management of the agency, noting that they must also fund supervisors, monitoring teams, and broad sanitation operations across all 16 local government areas. This salary reduction comes during a period of high inflation, which is likely to prompt criticism from labor rights activists and local residents concerned about the welfare of low-income workers.