The Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA), Mr. Abayomi Hunye, has dismissed allegations of extortion leveled against him by members of the Ogun State chapter of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria.
Hunye indicated that he might take legal action against the association for defaming his character. He stressed that no member has ever paid money into his personal account, maintaining that all transactions were made directly into the agency’s official account.
“I wonder why anyone would categorise payments into government coffers as extortion,” he added.
The clarification came on Thursday during a media parley organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State, following a protest by the waste vendors on Monday. The protesters accused Hunye of high-handedness, arbitrary fee increases, and extortion.
The peaceful demonstration at the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, featured participants carrying placards with messages such as “Hunye Must Go”, “Gov Abiodun rescue us from heartless Hunye”, “We want sanity in OGWAMA”, and “Enough of OGWAMA’s hardship”. The vendors demanded that Governor Dapo Abiodun remove Hunye, alleging that his leadership has caused undue hardship for waste operators.
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Responding to the claims, Hunye said, “Their extortion claim is not true because I have collected no money from any of them illegally. They have always paid into OGWAMA’s account, and paying into government coffers cannot be described as extortion.”
He also defended the increase in the annual registration fee for waste vendors from N100,000 to N200,000, explaining that the revision was agreed collectively with members.
“From 2021, they were paying N100,000. By 2024, I held meetings with them and explained that the cost of running the agency had risen. We agreed on N200,000, which they paid for 2024 and 2025. So why the protest now?” he asked.
Hunye further attributed the protest to his decision to cancel multiple company registrations. “Some members registered multiple companies, taking business opportunities meant for others. I insisted that each member should register only one company. That’s when the extortion allegations started,” he said.
He added that the association never filed formal complaints with OGWAMA before staging the protest. Hunye also noted that some individuals claiming to lead the association had been suspended since November 2023, urging them to either reconcile with the legitimate leadership or obtain a court ruling confirming their authority.
In response, the association’s Chairman, Mrs. Opeoluwa Balogun, denied the existence of any faction until the protest began, alleging that any division was orchestrated by the MD. She said she assumed leadership following the tenure of the previous chairman, Kunle Oresanya, which ended in 2023.
Balogun explained that the protest was a last resort after repeated meetings with Hunye and the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, failed to resolve the issues. She accused Hunye of prioritising registration fee increases over other responsibilities, including monitoring unlicensed vendors.
“We have text messages and recordings documenting our attempts to resolve these issues. Despite repeated efforts, the MD has ignored legitimate concerns. We will continue our protest and pursue all legal avenues to secure justice for our members,” she said.
The association also denied claims of internal cabals among registered vendors, urging Hunye to identify and address problematic individuals rather than implementing measures that disrupt their operations.
