Niger State government says anybody less than 18 years old is prohibited from picking scraps in the state and warned that anyone found with an item belonging to the public or private sector will be dealt with decisively.

Governor Bago also mandated all members of the Scrap and Waste Dealers across the 25 Local Councils of the state to register with the state government through the office of his coordinator on scrap.

He gave the directive during a meeting with the leaders of the Scrap and Waste Dealers Association, Niger State chapter, held at Government House, Minna.

The meeting was a follow-up to his last meeting with the group to find a lasting solution to the persistent vandalism of structures and theft of public and private property across the state.

The governor added, “The template for the registration will require members to provide their residential and business addresses, Bank Verification Number (BVN), and National Identity Number (NIN) to ensure effective monitoring.”

He further explained that the state government will support the association with biometric devices that will help in the registration process, maintaining that the registration is necessary to provide them with a license if they are to continue operating in the state.

He said the last round of the meeting will be held on Thursday this week with the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Usman Abubakar, where he will inaugurate the elected chairmen of the Scrap and Waste Dealers across the 25 local councils of the state.

The governor disclosed that the chairmen will be working directly with his coordinator on scrap, Abdusallam Sa’ad, with a view to halting the rising cases of vandalism of public and private infrastructure.

Earlier, the Coordinator to the Governor on Scraps, Abdulsalam Sa’ad, described Governor Umaru Bago as a remarkable leader and the only governor who has shown great support to scrap dealers in the history of Niger State, appealing to the scrap and waste dealers to always be law-abiding.

He explained that the registration of scrap dealers in the state, as directed by the state governor, will help in sanitising the members and the business, revealing that his office will provide the forms, while the registration fees will be paid into a government account.

The Chairman of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Employers, Niger State Chapter, Muhammad Ahmad Ali, read out the rules and regulations of the association, which include screening all existing and intending members; members must provide a guarantor and visible means of identification; and strict punishment for members involved in stealing or buying stolen items, among others.

The meeting was interactive, as suggestions were made on how to fish out bad eggs from the genuine scrap dealers in the state. (The Guardian)