The Abia State government, through the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade and Investment, has directed the Scrap Metal Association Umuahia chapter to register and obtain their Corporate Affairs Commission certificates and Abia State Social Identification Number (ABSSIN) in order to curb the activities of criminal illegal dealers.
This initiative is aimed at addressing the theft of government and private properties by scavengers and other illegal scrap dealers.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr Philemon Ogbonna, who addressed members of the Scrap Metal Association in Umuahia on Thursday, expressed worry about the theft of government properties like manhole covers, school properties and others.
He emphasised that scavengers and metal scrap dealers in the state should operate within legal frameworks.
Ogbonna advocated for community collaboration and urged state community leaders to monitor the scavengers’ activities in their localities.
On his part, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha, told the scrap dealers to formally register their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and obtain an Abia State Social Identification Number (ABSSIN) to ensure transparency.
He asked dealers to organise themselves well to verify the identity and source of materials brought in by scavengers, which he said would prevent the sales of stolen public infrastructure.
Mr Chukwudi Onwukaeme and Mr Okeke Ogwuegbu, who spoke on behalf of the Scrap Metal Association Umuahia, welcomed the initiative, affirming their readiness to cooperate with the state government to identify and sack bad eggs in the scrap business.
