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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Worried by the activities of waste scavengers popularly called ‘Bola Jari’ and other related businesses across the State which have endanger the lives of residents particularly health related issues, Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) is set to formalize and regulate such activities.
This was disclosed by the Director General of the Agency, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, during an interactive meeting with members of Association of Carton and Waste Recycling Dealers of Nigeria (ACREDON) and National Association of Scrap and Waste Recycling Dealers of Nigeria (NASWARDON) in his office.
According to the Director General, as an environmental protection Agency, BASEPA has the power and responsibility to regulate their activities in order to bring sanity into the business and also to safeguard the health and well being of both the operators and the general public.
Ibrahim Kabir said that following the receipt of several complaints from people on the activities of the operators within the metropolis which include environmental nuisance, Road blockages, Health hazards and the suspicious involvement of criminal elements into the business which is a threat to the security of people and their properties, the Agency must act.
Other issues discussed during the meeting are the involvement of under aged children and drugs addicts, non using of safety kits such as hand gloves and other inconveniences caused by operating in the midst of people among others.
The Director General pledged to organize workshops for the operators on how best to carry out their business without threatening their health and that of the general public
Some of the processes considered as appropriate for the successful formalisation of the business is, operators must register with the Agency through their respective associations, relocating the operators out of the metropolis and the plan workshop on health safety among others.
Alhaji Abdullahi Sani and Rabiu Musa, Chairmen of the two associations expressed their happiness with the initiative, which they said was timely and promised to support all the processes to achieve the target objectives.
The meeting had in attendance of Directors of the Agency and Desk Officer Waste Scavenging,, Director Sanitation of the Bauchi State Traders and Artisan Association and other members of the Associations as contained in a statement by Isyaka Laminu Badamasi, SA Media to DG BASEPA.
