Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Government Friday placed a ban on the operations of condemned iron scavengers and other scrap metals popularly called ‘Ndi akpakara or ‘Iron kwandem’ in the State.
The Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu made this known in a statement he released on Friday.
He said the dealers cannot be allowed to continue their “evil act” of stealing private and public metal objects across board in the state.
Nwosu said: “These fellows prawl the residential neighborhoods and commercial districts intermittently screaming “Iron Kwandem,” with their quaint accent, just to get public attention like the typical village town criers.”
“Their mission is ostensibly to buy condemned iron or disused metal objects from households, workshops/business premises or anybody who can freely offer their stock-in-trade (scrap metals). In the local parlance, they are called “ndi akpakara.” But what used to be simple and hassle-free transactions with itinerant seemingly harmless cart pushers has ended up becoming pests to society.
“The nuisance value of the ubiquitous ‘Iron Kwandem’ scavengers can no longer be tolerated for they now constitute a pain in the neck of society as their activities are adversely affecting the economy of the state and the country at large.
“They steal the metal coverings of gutters, the iron medians on the highways and the steel railings on the sides of the motorways.
“They have become so brazen in dismantling and wrecking public utilities that you begin to wonder if they have special licenses to do what they are doing because they dare where nobody with conscience will risk.”
The commissioner reported that the scavengers have removed and carted away most of the iron components of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, fence facing the ever busy Enugu-Awka expressway.
“Shortly after the celebrated second Niger Bridge was commissioned, the side-bars, beams and the heavy steel sheets interlocking segments of the bridge were yanked off by these devil-may-care “Iron Kwandem” scavengers.
“Even the poles bearing the solar streetlights in Anambra State have been randomly and willfully vandalized by these scavengers for illicit profit.
“Individual’s generators and vehicle body parts are not spared. A story was told about how a family returned from the village after an end-of-year vacation to discover that their beautiful wrought iron gate had been neatly dismantled and removed.”
Nwosu who maintained that no responsible government will stand by and watch acts of lawlessness persist, said activities of scavengers are tantamount to the worst kind of robbery. He warned that anybody found doing business with them will equally be arrested and prosecuted for receiving stolen property.
He urged the people to report the activities of the scavengers to relevant authorities including SASA or OCHA Brigade for arrest and prosecution. He also urged them to see the move as a patriotic duty to improve the economy of the state.
