Human waste evacuators in Kano have appealed to the state government to provide more trucks and designated disposal sites to improve sanitation services and support their livelihoods.
The Chairman of Gidan Kowa Da Akwai Association of Human Waste Evacuators in Kano, Ibrahim Muhammad, made the appeal in an interview in Kano.
Muhammad said the association had more than 1,000 registered members, while many other operators remained unregistered.
He said human waste evacuation provided livelihoods for hundreds of workers and their families, with more youths joining the sector.
Muhammad, who has spent 30 years in the business, said the association sensitised members on improved methods of waste evacuation and intervened in disputes between operators and customers.
He said the association maintained a cordial relationship with the Ministry of Environment and paid taxes to the government.
The chairman identified a shortage of trucks as a major challenge, noting that more than 20 people could depend on a single mini-truck to transport evacuated waste to disposal sites.
He appealed to the government to provide additional trucks and expressed the association’s readiness to access loans to acquire vehicles and improve operations.
Muhammad also called for more designated disposal sites, saying only one site at Janguza, Kwanar Mahuwa, was currently available.
He explained that some sites previously provided by the government could no longer be used because residential buildings had been constructed around them.
He added that the association was working with the government to address improper waste disposal by some operators and the involvement of children in the business.
Muhammad appealed to members of the public to stop stigmatising waste evacuators, stressing that they played an important role in maintaining sanitation in the state.
