Governor Dapo Abiodun has terminated the appointment of the embattled Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA), Hon. Abayomi Hunye, with immediate effect.
Hunye’s removal follows a wave of allegations bordering on extortion, high-handedness, diversion of public funds, and abuse of office, which had sparked protests and public outcry in recent weeks.
The Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria (AWMVRN), Ogun State Chapter, had on two separate occasions staged protests at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, accusing Hunye of allegedly using his office to amass wealth in pursuit of a future governorship ambition.
Speaking during one of the protests, the association’s President, Mrs. Opeoluwa Balogun, alleged that since assuming office, the former OGWAMA boss imposed arbitrary and exploitative charges on private waste operators across the state.
According to her, the annual licence renewal fee rose from ₦100,000 in 2024 to ₦205,000 in 2025 and later to ₦225,000 in 2026. She claimed Hunye justified the increment as a strategy to reduce the number of operators in the sector—an explanation the association described as a deliberate attempt to edge members out of business.
The group also accused him of organising mandatory seminars with registration fees initially pegged at ₦100,000 and later reduced to ₦50,000 after complaints, while allegedly insisting that even non-attending members must pay or face sanctions. Some members who paid the earlier higher fee were reportedly not refunded.
Further allegations included the imposition of ₦200,000 charges for roll-up banner displays at a 2025 workshop and fines of up to ₦500,000 without investigation or fair hearing. The association claimed that over 1,000 members paid ₦50,000 each at a recent conference—amounting to about ₦50 million—yet received poor welfare and no conference materials.
The association’s Secretary, Pastor Segun Adetula, also linked the financial strain from rising fees to reported health complications among members, alleging that two to four operators died between 2025 and 2026 after developing high blood pressure attributed to stress from mounting debts.
In response to claims reportedly made by Hunye that the association was illegal, AWMVRN maintained that it is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and possesses documentary and audio evidence to support its allegations.
Although no official statement detailing the reasons for the dismissal has been released, reliable sources confirmed that Governor Abiodun approved Hunye’s removal on Friday, February 13, 2026, over multiple allegations.
Meanwhile, the governor has appointed his Special Adviser, Hon. Farouk Akintunde, as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of OGWAMA. His appointment was confirmed in a letter dated February 18, 2026, signed by the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, stating that the appointment takes immediate effect.
The development signals a decisive move by the state government amid mounting controversy, as stakeholders await further clarification and possible investigations into the allegations that trailed the former agency head’s tenure.