Priscilla Akpanettot
There’s a place in Akwa Ibom State capital city where wastes are considered an essential commodity for economic gain. It is a place where all forms of wastes are collected and sold to industries who recycle them.
The wastes collected there vary from plastics to polythenes, tins, cartons, irons, shoes, bottles, cans, papers and etc,
The Waste Hub is located on Pepsi Road which can be accessed through Idoro and Abak Road. Owned by Mr. Rabiu Bello from Kano State who’s been in the business for over 20 years, the hub is a place for the collation and sorting of plastics, including all kinds of condemned disposable plates and their covers; water bottles, broken buckets, baskets, chairs and more.
Upon arrival at the hub, wastes brought in by a supplier are scaled in kilograms and paid for immediately.
After collection, the wastes are carefully sorted into forms, shapes and sizes; and their labels removed, before being stacked in a sack. Thereafter, they are moved to Aba to be grinded, before being sent to Lagos for recycling.
According to Mr. Bello, the grounded wastes are recycled into rubber slippers, paper bags, water-proof materials or even melted to produce another rubber.
When asked why he has to go all the way to Aba to have the wastes grounded, he explained that there were no such industries in the State, except one in Mbierebe Obio which deals only on cartons. “So all that we buy is sent to Aba, Calabar, Onitsha and Lagos”, he said in pidgin English.
Describing the business as lucrative and self-sustaining, he said the business has helped him cater for his family of 5 and engaged some idle youths in the area.
“I went into the business because it is somewhat monopolistic. There is no much competition in it and a lot of people are running away from it”, he said.
Recalling his early days as a scavenger, Mr. Bello narrated how he went about picking wastes from gutters, before he started having assistants. The boys go round to do the picking from hotels, receptacles, and event venues. When they return, he’ll scale their wastes and pay them appropriately.
The Wastes Hub owner explained that a Kilogram of plastics goes for between N70-N100. “There are people who bring up to 10kg worth of plastics every day. And that amounts to N30 or 31,000 in a month because they do it every day religiously”.
For bottles, Rabiu pays as much as N100 each for some of them while others are placed in the category of between N5-N50 naira. “That money helps them to pay their bills and also support their families”.
He told the story of a physically impaired boy who’s mother often visit to thank him for engaging the boy. “The boy can neither speak nor hear but he takes home N500-N800 daily from supplying plastics. The mother talk sey the boy dey help am wewell, sey him dey give am moni to buy food and clothes for the two of them”.
Rabiu who attributed the absence of stealing and theft on the Street he operates business to his engagement of the boys in supplies, told this reporter that his place is always busy when they return from school and during holidays.
“Some of them wey bin dey steal, na me warn dem sey mek dem no do am again before dem go burn dem. I go just give dem bag, tell dem sey mek dem enter street, pick rubber. By the time dem come back, I go scale their rubber, pay dem moni and dem dey happy very well. So now, nobody dey steal for here because they don already see wetin to carry com collect moni. Some dey even use the moni buy from another person come sell”, he said.
Attesting to his testimony, his Manager, Miss Emediong Abednego described the business as a worthy venture better than staying idle. She told this reporter of how she put aside her shame to work with Mr. Rabiu when she saw that the gains were substantial.
“There’s a family man who comes here regularly to supply us plastics. He does it diligently and is not ashamed. So I want to encourage everyone out there to drop their pride and ego, and join us in this worthy venture. It’s so easy; just pick, bring and get paid”, she said.
