The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a new law regulating the activities of scavengers, scrap metal dealers, and Panteka operators within residential areas across the state.
The bill, a Private Member initiative, was passed during plenary at the Assembly Complex in Minna following the adoption of a joint committee report by the Committees on Environment and Climate Change, and Judiciary and Legal Matters.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Joint Committees, Mohammed Garba, representing Agwara Constituency, said stakeholders were engaged through a public hearing to consider concerns around the proposed legislation.
He noted that the process was necessitated by rising security, environmental, and public order challenges linked to scavenging activities in residential communities.
The committees explained that the law seeks to enhance public safety, protect lives and property, and relocate scrap-related operations to designated sites outside residential neighbourhoods.
They further observed that scavenging activities have been associated with theft and vandalism of infrastructure, as well as health risks, particularly for children exposed to hazardous materials such as lead and mercury, which may affect neurological development.
Lawmakers also raised concerns that scavenger movements with carts often obstruct traffic and create public nuisance, while warning that such activities could be exploited for criminal surveillance or related operations.
However, the Assembly acknowledged that the sector provides livelihood for many youths and low-income earners, stressing the need for licensing, monitoring, and designated operational zones to balance regulation with economic survival.
The Speaker, Dr Abdulmalik Mohammed Sarkin-Daji, commended the committee and sponsor of the bill, Comrade Murtala Adamu Badaru, for their efforts, and directed that clean copies of the law be transmitted to the Executive for assent.
