FCT waste disposal contractors notify of planned suspension of services over nine months debt

Contractors handling the contract for city cleaning services in the 44 Lots presently delignated in the Federal Capital City (FCC) under the auspices of the Association of FCT Solid Waste and Cleaning Contractors (AFSOWAC) have notified of their intention to suspend service delivery by September 25, 2025, if their nine months debt was not paid.

In a notification letter addressed to the Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) dated September 17,2025 signed by 21 of its members, the contractors complained how non-payment of outstanding fees for nine months has greatly hindered their capacity to continue their services.

Continuing, they lamented inability to meet their obligation to the workers in terms of salary payment and other emoluments, stating that if payments were not made on or before September 17, they would against their will, have to suspend city cleaning services in the Federal Capital City.

According to the letter, “The Association of FCT Solid Waste and Cleaning Contractors (AFSOWAC), is the umbrella body for City Cleaning Contractors carrying out the contract for city Cleaning services in the 44 Lots presently delignated in the Federal Capital City (FCC), our goal has always prioritized service delivery in terms of quality and timeliness, which is responsible for adjudging Abuja as one of the cleanest cities in Africa.

“City cleaning contractors currently collect and dispose wastes from the city with equipment base of over 100Nos Refuse Compacting Trucks, and 60Nos Tippers, in the process clearing over 1000Tonnes of wastes daily from the FCC. To achieve this, we employed a combined estimated workforce strength of about 3000 staff, most of whom are the poorest of the poor earning their source of livelihood to support their families through the various jobs under our work scope.

“As partners in progress with the FCT Administration, we have demonstrated loyalty and immense understanding in support of the government as shown by our commitment to this partnership in providing this very essential service over the months based on the public health and security implications to the city and its inhabitants.

“We note that over the period of the past Nine (9) months (since January 2025), the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the FCT Administration, has not addressed us as critical stakeholders and partners on the reason(s) for the delay with our payment, instead, what we have are regular releases of directives on the city cleaning platform on daily basis, by AEPB as the contract manager.

“Our members have become over stretched to the limits as funding daily operations, purchase of diesel, maintenance of equipment and machineries for providing these services as well as the payment of staff salaries are all capital intensive.

“We have sourced funds from formal and informal lenders to keep city sanitation going till this point, and by extension funding the management of the city which is an integral part of a functional city, for which we are not even recognized. The long delay in payment has depleted our resources and this is beginning to result in build-up of wastes within the city, with series of complaints from residents, a development that the Federal Capital City (FCC) Abuja is not known for in her recent history.

“This clearly conveys that we can no longer sustain and guarantee the provision of these essential services without payments. Aside from the funding challenge, the state of the main waste disposal site at Gosa is also very deplorable and requires urgent attention, unavailability of equipment to operate the site as well as create access for trucks to dispose waste evacuated from the city and provide good turnaround time for operations.

“Sequel to the aforementioned, we write this letter to convey the collective resolve of the Association and a statement of our inability to guaranty continued service delivery by September 25, 2025, if payments for our nine (9) months outstanding is not made, hence we shall against our will, have to suspend city cleaning services to the FCC” the letter read in part.