The Ondo State House of Assembly has called for legislation to regulate the activities of scavengers in the state.
According to The Hope, the matter was raised under urgent public importance during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Chief Olamide Oladiji.
The House, in its resolution, noted that scavengers across the state should be registered and provided with uniforms for proper identification.
The lawmakers observed that scavenging had taken a new dimension to the detriment of residents of the state, with operators increasingly involved in criminal activities, including rape, theft, and actions that threaten peaceful inter-ethnic relations.
According to the House, many scavengers trespass on private properties, violating people’s rights and assaulting law-abiding citizens.
The House resolved that a multifaceted approach was necessary to curb the rising criminal activities linked to scavengers in the state.
The lawmakers urged the state government, through the Ministry of Environment, to enforce existing regulations governing scavenging, particularly in areas of environmental protection, public health, and safety.
They further resolved that local government chairmen must take decisive action ensuring that all scavengers are registered and issued identity cards, suggesting that this could be achieved through field surveys, oral interviews, and other data collection methods.
While stressing the importance of tracking and regulating individuals supplying materials to scavengers, the House also urged landlords to take responsibility for ensuring that scavengers do not operate unlawfully within their communities.
As part of measures to curb criminal activities and ensure adherence to regulations, the lawmakers directed law enforcement agencies to arrest any unregistered scavengers, expressing confidence that these measures would help regulate scavenging activities, curb criminal behaviour, and promote a safer and healthier environment for all residents.
The House, however, acknowledged that scavenging plays a significant role in waste management by facilitating reuse and recycling, which in turn benefits the environment among other benefits like employment opportunities, reduces reliance on costly raw materials, lowers waste disposal costs, and minimises the need for extensive collection and transport infrastructure.
The House observed that a significant number of scavengers operating in Ondo State are young people, citing studies that 70 per cent of scavengers are male, while 30 per cent are female, with 30 per cent of the scavengers under 15 years old, 20 per cent are between 16 and 25 years old, and 35 per cent fall within the 26 to 35 age bracket.
The lawmakers pointed out that scavenging is common in developing countries due to high unemployment rates, widespread poverty, and the absence of social safety nets.
