…SAYS PAYMENT WOULD BE BASED ON MERIT
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has tasked solid waste management contractors in the FCT to ensure an immediate improvement in sanitation in the FCT, warning that excuses would not be tolerated.
Barr. Wike issued this charge in Abuja on Friday, November 14, 2025 when he held an interactive meeting with 54 solid waste cleaning contractors who were recently awarded waste cleaning contracts in the FCC.
Addressing the contractors, Barr. Wike emphasized the critical importance of effective waste management to the FCT and announced that a Task Force would be set up immediately to monitor the contractors’ operations, adding that future payments would be subject to satisfactory performance.
According to the Minister, “Management of waste is a very difficult job. So, I want to plead with you to see it that you are carrying out an assignment for the development of our capital city.
“So please help us to keep the city clean. It’s a job that you applied for, nobody forced you. I assure you that your payment is not a problem. Do the job as required and do it very well. There will be no favouritism. Your job is what will speak for you and you must get the job done”, the Minister stressed.
He warned that he will not hesitate to terminate the contract of any cleaning company if refuse is sighted in their allocated zone.
“This will not be business as usual. You must work during the weekend and have a special team to evacuate waste”, Barr. Wike directed. He further mandated the Director of Procurement to carry out immediate checks to ascertain the capacity of companies allocated more than one operational site, stating that excuses related to bad equipment would no longer be accepted.
“Those who are given more than one slot, we have to know what capacity they have. If you are allocated two sites, we will not accept excuses of bad equipment. You cannot go and apply for jobs for two areas when you don’t have the capacity to deliver. We don’t want any area to be left behind. We want everywhere to be clean”, he stated.
Responding to an appeal by the contractors for the payment of outstanding eight months arrears, the Minister observed that some areas, particularly parts of Asokoro, were not serviced by the contractors for periods in the past. He said that the outstanding eight months payments would be processed, but clarified that payment would be done strictly on merit.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Mr. Felix Obuah, confirmed that 54 successful contractors were selected from over 500 applicants, adding that the companies have been duly issued letters of award and assigned different beats across the FCT.
Speaking on behalf of the contractors, Mr. Ibrahim Babayo, thanked the Minister for the audience and urged his colleagues to heed the warnings, while also pledging the contractors’ commitment to ensuring a clean FCT.
