Taraba cuts street sweeper pay from ₦15,000 to ₦10,000 amid budget strain

The Taraba State Environment Sanitation Agency has cut the monthly salary of street sweepers enrolled in the state's sanitation workforce programme from ₦15,000 to ₦10,000. The decision, announced by agency chairman Hon.

Illiya Kefa Dure, marks an internal cost management step as the state grapples with budgetary constraints. The agency chairman attributed the wage reduction to mounting operational expenses tied to the expansion of the sweepers' programme across Taraba's 16 local government areas.

Kefa stated that the adjustment became necessary to maintain the agency's ability to sustain its sanitation operations and meet existing financial obligations. He clarified that the governor did not directly order the salary cut, presenting it instead as an administrative measure initiated by the agency itself.

Street sweepers working under the 'Keep Taraba Clean' programme—the official name of the state's sanitation initiative—will be affected by the reduction. The salary cut has prompted reactions among both workers and residents concerned about the impact on the welfare of those responsible for the state's public cleanliness.

According to the agency's account, the wage adjustment was made partly to manage available resources while the state continues to recruit additional workers for positions in state and local government civil service roles. The agency oversees a substantial workforce of personnel, including coordinators, supervisors, monitoring teams, and casual labourers engaged in sanitation activities across Taraba State.