Over 300,000 members of the National Association of Scrap Waste Dealers and Employers of Nigeria have been negatively impacted by the ban imposed by the Borno State Government in July 2023 on metal scrap scavenging and trade. This has resulted in the loss of business and livelihood for many individuals within the association. The ban implemented by NAWSDEN has significantly reduced the amount of metal scraps entering Nigeria from neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Sudan.
This has effectively stopped the trans-border Trade and flow of the commodity within the region. On July 10, 2023, the state government implemented a ban on the scavenging and trade of metal scraps due to accusations of theft of valuable metals from various locations such as homes, government offices, and private establishments. Aminu Soja, the President of the association overseeing the Northern states, made a statement in Maiduguri, Borno State capital about the ban in the country.
Soja urged the Governor to consider lifting the ban during Ramadan.
He said that the ban, which has been in place for 10 months, has affected over 300,000 of their members, leading to loss of business and means of living. He was in charge of distributing Ramadan palliatives to 250 families of the recyclers who are currently without work. He mentioned that the 300,000 individuals are simply scouring, purchasing scraps and acting as dealers. He suggested that people should imagine the potential size of the population if they were to account for their family members and other dependents.
Also, Soja admitted that the state government made decisions based on the state’s well-being, but also pointed out that imposing a collective punishment on ninety-nine percent of the people due to the misdeeds of just one percent of a group was unjust. In a plea to Governor Babagana Zulum, he urged him to consider lifting the ban during the Ramadan fast so that recyclers and their dealers can resume their livelihoods and continue their business.
Business has come to a complete stop due to the ban.
Furthermore, Soja urged Zulum to develop a system of operation for the metal scrap trade that is officially sanctioned by law. He proposed gathering all metal traders for a meeting to clearly outline the rules and regulations they must follow in order to avoid breaking the law. The leader of NAWSDEN remembered how vast sums of money were gathered in Maiduguri from Kano and other states in the country, only to be sent to neighbouring countries.
These countries include Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, as well as Sudan and the Central African Republic, this sum of money aided the purchase of massive quantities of scrap metal totalling around 40,000 tonnes each day until the ban was implemented. Soja expressed frustration over the fact that the business has come to a complete stop, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of scrap materials being transported from the Northern states to the South for processing and recycling.
The organization has established a task force committee in each state.
In order to prevent the ban from being implemented in other Northern states, the organization has established a task force committee in each state. Their responsibility is to inspect every batch of scraps in all markets to confirm that they have not been stolen before the dealers are authorized to purchase them. He mentioned that the organization has implemented new measures involving the screening and registration of members, as well as forming partnerships with Law Enforcement Agencies to enhance its activities.