Members of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria (AWMVRN), Ogun State chapter, staged a protest in Abeokuta on Monday, accusing the General Manager of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), Abayomi Hunye, of persistent extortion and unfair business practices.

About 50 protesters, mainly waste and scrap vendors from across the state, claimed Hunye had increased licence fees from ₦50,000 to ₦200,000 and was favouring outsiders over long-standing operators in the scrap and recycling sector.

Speaking for the association, President Opeoluwa Balogun said members had operated for decades under a standard licensing framework. “Since he came on board, it has been levy upon levy, and it has become unbearable for us,” she said, alleging that the OGWAMA boss brought in people from his hometown to take over businesses previously run by veteran operators.

The vendors also complained that they were being forced to pay licence fees months in advance without receiving tax receipts, contrary to established practice, and that some who complied were later denied access to scrap materials, pushing them into debt.

Chanting solidarity songs, the protesters demanded Hunye’s immediate removal, warning that his continued stay could cripple their livelihoods.

In response, Chief of Staff to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Toyin Taiwo, urged calm and advised the vendors to channel complaints through official government channels.

Hunye, however, denied the allegations, insisting the protest stemmed from his enforcement of due process and compliance with existing laws. He explained that the licence fee was legally reviewed in 2024, increasing from ₦100,000 to ₦200,000 after more than five years, and that workshops were held with vendors in 2024 and 2025 without complaints.

Hunye also revealed that a cartel within the association had been exploiting the system by registering multiple companies to monopolize scrap access, disadvantaging other vendors. “I insisted that this must stop,” he said, adding that some operators had requested continuation of the practice, which he refused.

“The law is clear, and we must do the right thing. That is the real reason behind these unnecessary protests,” Hunye stated.