The National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria is urgently appealing to the federal government for financial support and protection against harassment.
In a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, the association’s chairman of the chairmen forum, Alhaji Aminu Hassan, emphasized the challenges faced by its members, including the need for soft loans to expand their businesses and the persistent harassment by security agencies.
Hassan highlighted the significant contribution of the scrap and waste business to the national economy, estimating an annual turnover of over N1 trillion.
The association, a registered trade union, represents various stakeholders in the recycling, scrap, and waste business.
One major concern raised by the chairman is the ongoing harassment experienced by members during the transportation of their products to smelting companies. The plea to the government is to intervene and provide assistance to eliminate this issue, ensuring the seamless operation of their businesses.
Additionally, Hassan called on the government to address pricing challenges with the companies they do business with.
Expressing dissatisfaction with foreign companies, particularly those owned by the Chinese and Indians, for changing the prices of purchased products without prior notice, he emphasized that this lack of transparency in pricing negatively affects the business, leading to losses for the scrap dealers.