Taraba Government Reduces Street Sweepers’ Pay From ₦15,000 To ₦10,000

The Taraba State Government has reduced the monthly pay of workers under the Operation Keep Taraba Clean programme, also known as street sweepers, from ₦15,000 to ₦10,000.

NEWSNGR reports that the Chairman of the Taraba State Environmental and Sanitation Agency, Hon. Illiya Kefas, confirmed the change while speaking to journalists in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State.

He explained that the adjustment followed instructions from Governor Agbu Kefas as part of efforts to manage state spending after fresh recruitment into the civil service at both state and local government levels.

The street sweepers were first recruited in 2023 with a monthly allowance of ₦20,000.

In 2024, their pay was reduced by ₦5,000 after they were asked to accept a new arrangement or leave the job, bringing it to ₦15,000 at the time.

Recent reports show that some of the workers received ₦10,000 in May 2026, marking another drop from the earlier agreed amount.

Hon. Illiya Kefas, who heads the state sanitation agency, said the government had to adjust payments due to limited funds and the growing number of workers added to the payroll.

He also noted that federal allocations have not been sufficient to cover all expenses.

He added that the sanitation system involves several layers of workers, including coordinators, supervisors, monitoring teams, and casual staff across the 16 local government areas of the state, which all require funding.

He also explained that team leaders in charge of cleaning operations receive daily allowances and that the state spends a large amount to maintain waste management and environmental sanitation, especially in Jalingo and other parts of the state.

He maintained that those not satisfied with the new pay structure are free to leave the programme.