Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has been asked to, as a matter of urgency, place a ban on metal scavenging and sales of scraps in the State.
A citizens group, the Anambra People’s Assembly (APA), made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, the State capital.
According to them, the trade encourages crime and criminality among those involved in the trade.
In the statement signed by the leader of the group, High Chief Tony Umeh, the group said those involved in the scrap trade have not in any way brought development to the State, rather they have caused havoc, environmental degradation, crime, and criminalities.
They said about 95 percent of those engaged in scrap collections intrude into people’s private homes and steal their valuables and money, individual household materials.
“These people convert these their stolen items as scraps to sell to make money, without actually knowing the worth of what they were vandalizing and majority of them are not even residents or have a stake in the development of the state.
“The Governor should ban them with immediate effect.
“Also, the government should arrest people who go about vandalizing people’s property in the name of collecting scraps, just like the Delta State government,” said the group.
The group also called on the State Government to initiate an executive bill to the State House of Assembly, which would ban scrap collection in the State within 30 days.
The law, the group said, should make it a criminal offense to engage in the collection of scraps popularly known as ‘iron condemn’ cart pushers.
