Street sweepers in Abidjan protest over unpaid wages

Hundreds of sweepers in Cote d’Ivoire’s capital city Abidjan who have not been paid for several months took to the streets to demand their salaries.

The women work for different refuse collection companies including COMNET and SI2E.

The women marched to the Department of Sanitation in the Plateau business district to voice their grievances.

They said they have sent letters to various ministries and the presidency but have not received a response.

“We have sent letters to the Ministries of Interior, Women, and to the prime minister and president. We were never answered,” said Emma Gnéhi, one of the protesters.

A similar protest action took place in June 2015. The then Secretary General of the Mayor of Plateau, Jean Michel Amankou told reporters that the district had signed an agreement with COMNET, but seemed to be in the dark about the company was not paying the salaries.

“But the city council, including Mayor Akossi Benjo, tried to address this issue from a social point of view, since the COMNET company can not assume the burden,” said Amankou.

The Mayor’s office is yet to respond to Monday’s protest.