2nd August, 2010
Members of Scrap Dealers Association of Nigeria (SDAN), Lagos State chapter, have pledged their support for the mega city initiative and socio-economic development of the state government.
Mr. Edwin Ifakachukwu Ilah, chairman of the association, made this known during a media chat recently.
The chairman stated that scrap collection is a lucrative and highly profitable business, while also describing it as the re-cycling engine room of Nigeria economy and therefore urged members of the public to recognise that there is dignity in scrap collection and movement of scraps either in trucks or otherwise.
This, he said, has necessitated the image re-branding and re-focusing of the association in consideration of the urbanisation mega city initiative of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Ilah called on the general public to change their mind set towards truck pushers and scrap collectors, saying they are doing legitimate business in the various community in the state.
He added that members of the association would soon be wearing jackets bearing the logo with Lagos State colour and identification cards, in order to differeciate them from those who constitute environmental nuisance and security threat to the state.
Mr. Olujohungbe Olusoji, a revenue consultant, is of the opinion that if the association is well supervised, the state government could generate a lot of revenue from the scraps due to high concentration of industries in the state. He also advised on the prompt payment of taxes in the state.
Mr. Oluropo Owoyele, a legal practitioner, advised unemployed youths to take the advantage of the re-branding exercise going on in scrap collection and truck pushing as it will keep them busy against going into any form of crime and related  offences.
The association, registered in 2009 as a regulatory body for scrap dealers, truck pushers and collectors, recently embarked on reform, image rebranding and sensitisation of members in order to complement the effort of the Lagos State Government for the past two years.
—Paul Sanusi