Abia Government Takes Action to Combat Public Property Theft by Scavengers

The Abia State government has expressed concern over the increasing reports of theft involving government and private property by suspected scrap collectors and other criminals, who allegedly sell these stolen valuable items to scrap dealers at "giveaway" prices.
The stolen items include electrical cables, transformer components, railway materials, manhole covers, iron sheets, street lights, and household iron items.

During a meeting in Umuahia on Friday with members of the scrap dealer and scavenger community, Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, condemned this troubling trend as an act of sabotage and a financial burden on the owners of the stolen property.

Ogbonna stated that the State government would not permit this situation to persist, emphasizing that such criminal activities pose significant security risks.

He clarified that the purpose of the meeting with the dealers was to gather constructive ideas on how to regulate their operations within a legal framework, rather than to hinder any business activities.

The Commissioner for Environment instructed scrap dealers and scavengers to obtain the Abia State Social Security Identification Number and to register their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Ogbonna noted that this policy aims to regulate the industry and prevent illegal activities by dealers, and he also directed the operators to unite under a single government-recognized union.

Mr. Uwakwe Oke and Ukachi Emenike, who spoke on behalf of the scrap dealers and scavengers, expressed their support for the Abia State government's sanitation and reform initiatives, assuring that they would not tolerate thieves among their ranks.
However, they urged the State government to investigate the extortion of their members by individuals in the State.