Abia State government has moved to address the theft of government and private properties by scavengers and other illegal scrap dealers.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade and Investment have designed strategies to curb the the criminal activities of illegal dealers, which include registration, obtaining of Corporate Affairs Commission certificates and Abia State Social Identification Number.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr Philemon Ogbonna, who addressed members of the Scrap Metal Association in Umuahia, expressed worry about the theft of government properties like manhole covers, school properties and others,pointing out that scavengers and metal scrap dealers in the state should operatewithin legal frameworks.
Ogbonna listed the regulations to includeregistration, enforcement and community collaboration, and urged community leaders in the state to monitor the activities of the scavengers in their localities.
Also, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha, told the scrap dealers to formally register their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and obtain Abia StateSocial Identification Number, ABSSIN to ensure transparency.
He asked dealers to organize themselveswell to verify the identity and source of materials brought in by scavengers which he said, would prevent the sales of stolen public infrastructure.
Responding on behalf of Scrap Metal Association, Mr. Chukwudi Onwukaeme and Mr. Okeke Ogwuegbu welcomed the initiative, affirming their readiness to cooperate with the state government to identify and sack bad eggs in the scrap business.
