By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
Scrap dealers in Ebonyi State, led by Chairman Chief Eric Ejike Nwigwe, have sealed over 10 illegal dump sites in Abakaliki, the state capital.
The operation was a joint effort with the taskforce of Ebonyi scrap dealers and taskforce officials from the ministry of security and Internal Affairs.
Chief Nwigwe made this known to members during the sensitization visit to members in Ikwo and Ohazara local government areas of Ebonyi State.
He warned that the sealing was part of measures taken by the association to curtail vandalization, maintaining that scrap dealers who are not registered, and operate without the association’s approved identity cards would be treated as vandals.
He disclosed that the task force, comprising Ebonyi State Scrap Dealers Task Force and officials of internal security conducted massive inspections, and sealed over 10 illegal dump sites in the State capital.
Adding “we already have a mandate from state government to make sure all scrap dealers are registered. Which it has come to our notice that the people vandalising government properties are none scrap registered members that is people who are not registered.
“We have come to check many unregistered members who are secretly trading on scrap and the union is not aware of them.
“We find out so many things and we close them from buying, because some of these people didn’t learn the trade, they just come into the business. We have seen that some of these sensitization we have been doing, those people were not there.
“Before now, we have been having big challenges which made the State government to ban scrap, so mainly from investigations and actions we have taken so far, what we are seeing is no registered members, which the cause of vandalisation in the State, this action will go a long way to create conducive environment for the government and the business, ” he said.
Speaking the Secretary of the association, Comrade Ngwuta Nnamdi, stressed the need of registration, stating that anyone involved in scrap trading within Ebonyi State must be registered. He warned that those caught without proper identification cards would be arrested.
However, the Cordinator, for Old Ohazara branch, Ewa Solomon expressed gratitude to members for their cooperation during the sensization.
He reassured the state government of the scrap dealers’ commitment to being law-abiding citizens. Solomon maintained that the individuals causing vandalism were not registered members and urged the government to recognize their efforts in maintaining a conducive environment for both government and business activities.
The Association, earlier sensitized members of the association in Ikwo, and reshuffled members of the executive to ensure effective administration in the area, whil advising members to register and desist from vandalization, warning that none registered members will be treated as vandals.