By Danjuma Amodu
The Borno State chapter of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria, popularly known as Ajakuta, has dissociated itself from claims by its national leadership and declared support for Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s policy on metal scavenging.
The state chapter said it welcomed the governor’s intervention in good faith and was ready to cooperate with the government to regulate the scrap trade as authorities work on a roadmap to reopen the sector.
State Chairman of the association, Umar Usman, stated this on Wednesday when he led members of the state executive on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Committee to Review the Ban on Metal Scavenging in Borno State, Hon. Nasiru Ali Surundi, in Maiduguri.
“We welcome the Governor’s decision in good faith and dissociate ourselves from the claims made by our national body and some individuals. As law-abiding citizens, we support the state government’s efforts to regulate our activities,” Usman said.
Usman thanked Governor Zulum for his intervention and said the association was prepared to work with the committee to ensure the reforms benefit dealers and other residents affected by the restrictions.
He did not give details of the specific claims by the national body being disputed.
Responding, Surundi commended the state chapter for clarifying its stance, saying the government’s measures were designed to sanitise the scrap business, not to undermine legitimate operators.
“The measures introduced by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum are aimed at sanitising the scrap business for the benefit of our people. We urge the association’s national leadership to verify its facts before making public claims,” Surundi said.
Other members of the delegation endorsed Usman’s position and pledged to comply with the government’s decision.
The visit comes barely a week after Governor Zulum announced a temporary lifting of the ban on scrap scavenging and unveiled plans for a comprehensive roadmap to guide a broader reopening of the sector.
The Borno Government is balancing the livelihood needs of dealers and collectors against security concerns over theft and vandalism of public infrastructure, where stolen metals often find their way into the scrap market.
The proposed regulatory framework will be central to determining how the sector operates going forward, although details of the new rules are yet to be made public.
