The Borno State chapter of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria, popularly known as AJAKUTA, has distanced itself from claims made by the association’s national leadership and some individuals over the state government’s recent decision on metal scavenging, declaring its support for Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s reforms.
The state chairman, Umar Usman, stated this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to Nasiru Ali Surundi, chairman of the committee reviewing the ban on metal scavenging in Borno State, in Maiduguri.
Key Highlights
- Borno’s AJAKUTA chapter has disowned claims made by the association’s national leadership and some individuals.
- The state chapter supports Governor Babagana Zulum’s decision to temporarily lift the ban on metal scavenging.
- Chairman Umar Usman says members are committed to complying with government regulations.
- The government says its review aims to sanitise the scrap business and protect the public interest.
- Authorities are working towards a roadmap for the proposed full lifting of the restriction.
Borno Scrap Dealers Support Zulum’s Reforms
Usman described the temporary lifting of the ban on metal scavenging as a positive development that could help restore members’ livelihoods and promote orderly business operations.
He stressed that the state chapter did not endorse statements attributed to the national body and some individuals, adding that its members were committed to complying with government regulations.
“We welcome the Governor’s decision in good faith and dissociate ourselves from the claims made by our national body and some individuals. As law-abiding citizens, we support the state government’s efforts to regulate our activities,” Usman said.
Other members of the delegation supported their chairman’s position and pledged to comply with the state government’s decision.
Read also:
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- FG Urges Scrap Dealers to Suspend Strike as Talks Begin Over Steel Sector Dispute
- Zulum Urges Investors To Turn Borno’s Post-Insurgency Recovery Into Economic Opportunities
Government Says Review Will Sanitise Scrap Business
Responding to the delegation, Surundi commended the Borno chapter for clarifying its position and explained that the government’s measures were intended to sanitise the scrap business while protecting dealers and the wider public.
He also urged the association’s national leadership to verify information before making public statements about government policies.
“The measures introduced by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum are aimed at sanitising the scrap business for the benefit of our people. We urge the association’s national leadership to verify its facts before making public claims,” Surundi said.
Borno Reviews Metal Scavenging Ban
The visit came barely a week after Zulum announced the temporary lifting of the ban on metal scavenging in Borno State and initiated efforts to develop a roadmap for the proposed full lifting of the restriction.
The ongoing review is expected to establish a framework for regulating scrap scavenging activities while addressing concerns associated with the trade.
The outcome of the process could determine how scrap dealers operate under the state’s regulatory framework, balancing the livelihoods of those involved in the business with public safety and other Borno State Government concerns.
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