By Demilade Adeniyi
A call has gone to the Federal Government and the state and local governments across the country to provide policy and support programmes that would enhance the living standards of scrap and waste workers in the country.
Demanding a comprehensive social protection programme for waste workers the National Coordinator of the National Union of Scrap and Waste Workers of Nigeria (NUSWON) Mr Friday Oku, said such programme would protect its members from exposure on the job.
Oku, in a statement made available in Lagos, said the lack of protection and poor access to healthcare have aggravated the risk of his men faces, especially during this COVID-19 period.
He made a passionate appeal for personal protection equipment (PPE) for waste pickers who he said are prone to health risks through the collection of medical waste.
The Government (3 tier), NGO and Corporate Body should also look into the area of providing spaces eg Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for sorting and storing as well as training and technical support for waste workers. The provision of financial support is also very crucial for survival of scrap and waste workers due to their inability to accumulate capital, expand and improve their activities.
He said NUSON, an affiliate of the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organisations of Nigeria (FIWON), is a platform that represents those at the base of the recycling industry whose source of livelihood depends on the collection, sorting and recycling of waste.
“As you might be aware, the scrap and waste workers provide the only form of solid waste collection, providing widespread public benefit and achieving high recycling rate. Waste pickers collect household and commercial/industrial waste from private bins, dump sites, along streets, waterways and landfills which are used for recycling thereby contributing to the GDP of Nigeria economy,” Oku said.
Despite the enormous contribution of scrap and waste workers, the National Coordinator said they still face a lot of challenges ranging from social, economic and health. Scrap and waste pickers are often subjected to social stigma, constant harassment and poor living and working conditions.
The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed these workers to many health risks. Waste pickers are exposed to contaminants and hazardous waste materials, from fecal matter and medical waste to toxic fumes and chemicals.
While we commend the measures taken by the government at all levels to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on poor Nigerians, we observe that working people and their families in the informal sector are still largely excluded especially we the scrap and waste workers.
He urged members to continue to obey and practice safe distancing and all other COVID-19 protocols.