By Ebele Orakpo
You see them at dump sites, erosions sites, on the streets, mechanic workshops, collecting what the ordinary man on the street sees as wastes which include metal such as iron, bronze, and non-metals – plastics, ceramics, etc.

These people, popularly called scrap men do not only help to keep the environment clean but also feed the multi-million naira recycling industry.

*A lorry-load of scraps ready for the onward journey to Lagos.

Reports show that in the US, while traditional industries such as textiles and manufacturing have lost significant number of jobs over the past decade, recycling has created jobs and increased its share of the labor market. In this chat with Vanguard recently, the Chairman and Secretary of Scrap Union, Nkpor Branch, Anambra State spoke on the scrap business, the gains and pains, and appealed to the government to come to their aid. Excerpts.

For Mr. Samuel Nwankwo, the Chairman, Scrap Union, Nkpor Branch, Anambra State, the scrap business in Nigeria would have been more lucrative but for the obstacles posed by the various police checkpoints and task forces across the country.

Speaking on how he got into the business, Nwankwo said:“I saw people who were into the business and I loved what they were doing and so I went for training. Depending on the agreement reached with the trainer, you can pay between  N10,000 and N20,000 to learn the trade. After that, you can then establish your own business. We collect scraps from so many places like erosion sites, mechanic workshops, condemned vehicles, electronics, household utensils etc.

We also buy from those who go to these sites to pick scraps. The scraps are melted and they are used in making rods, channels, angles etc for the construction industry. We deal mainly on iron, some deal on brass, some on bronze etc.

In a month, we may load about two lorries. The competition is high because there are other places where scraps are sold.
We have people who go into the villages to collect these scraps. As soon as they bring them to us, we weigh them and pay accordingly.”

Speaking also, the secretary of the union, Mr. Sunday Onah said he started by going to dump sites, and erosion sites to pick scraps but now, “I no longer scout for scraps, I now buy from those who go to sites to pick. There is no recycling plant in Anambra State so we take them to Lagos and Delta states. When we supply these companies, they melt them and mould them into rods, angles and channels used in construction of buildings, flyovers and bridges.”

They mentioned the numerous police checkpoints as the major challenge they face in the course of doing their business and therefore appealed to the authorities to come to their aid. “We want to use this medium to appeal to the government to talk to the police. They disturb us a lot. For instance, if you load a lorry here, before you get to Lagos, you would have paid up to N15,000 at various police checkpoints. After all the expenses, not much is left.

And the job we do is helping the government to clean up the environment. After all the suffering, the police collect everything from us. The government can help us by asking the police to leave us alone. We don’t steal these things, they are condemned materials littering the environment. Even in Ikorodu, Lagos State, the revenue people are not left out.

At each point, we pay between N1,500 and N5,000 until you get to your destination. So the business would have been more lucrative if not for all these. And then the middlemen/agents of these companies make all the gain because they negotiate with these companies, get paid and then they pay us whatever they feel like paying us. We want to appeal to recycling companies also to increase the amount they pay per lorry load. It is not an easy job.”

Asked if they do not negotiate prices with them, he said they tried that but the agents said the companies have not increased what they pay them (agents), but when they do, the suppliers too will get an increase.