Appraisals of the Socio- Economic Characteristics of Waste scavengers in Mubi Metropolis, Nigeria

Ezekiel John Gangaya

doi:10.47191/ijmra/v4-i1-14

Abstract

The study examines the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of waste scavengers, practitioners of a common form of solid waste resource recovery practices in Mubi metropolis. A total number of two hundred sets of questionnaire were administered to waste scavengers and eight waste merchants out of which 176 sets of the questionnaire were retrieved and analysed. The purposive and Snowball Sampling Techniques were employed to identify the respondents. Tables, percentage Charts, point bisereal correlation, t-test and one way ANOVA technique were used for the analysis. The results revealed that majority of the scavengers within Mubi metropolis are male (93.2%). The female counterparts do not partake much in these types of trade. The reason could not be far fetched from the unwholesome nature of the business and its demands. Generally, the educational status of respondents’ shows that majority of practitioners 44.3% pass through formal education or may not have attended any school system. This attest to the fact that they may not be knowledgeable with regard to the rudiment of resource recycling or reuse. Further result revealed that practitioners were overwhelmingly pushed into scavenging business (93.8%) by poverty/unemployment. Be as it may, all (100%) scavengers revealed that scavenging has increased their income and consequently their standard of living. The Pearson's point-biserial correlation coefficient shows a very weak negative linear relationship between both variables of income and impact of scavenging on health of scavengers. (rpb = -0.071, n = 176, p = 3, At p > 0.05) This relationship goes to show that there is no significant relationship between monthly income and impact (positive and negative) of scavenging on health of Merchants and scavengers in Mubi metropolitan area of Adamawa State. Conclusively, scavenging practice plays a greater role in poverty alleviation and creation of employment especially among those categories of scavengers that attended informal education or not any other school system. However, most scavengers (61.4%) affairs to be urgent need of capital to sustain and boost their businesse.

Highlights

Waste is unwanted materials for the person who discards it; a material that does not have a value or has lost its value for the first user and is thrown away or discarded (Afons 2013)
In the context of Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM), waste is regarded as valueless, useless and as a useful material providing an important source of income to some people
This relative attribute of waste can be compared with the concept of resource which has been defined as material that has use-value and a reflection of human appraisal (Jones and Hollier, 1977)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Waste is unwanted materials for the person who discards it; a material that does not have a value or has lost its value for the first user and is thrown away or discarded (Afons 2013). Despite the obvious health hazards which scavenging poses to both the scavengers and their customers, it must be admitted that it is helping the society to cope with solid waste disposal problem This goes to say that if what constitute our waste is segregated and their uses found, they can be good sources of raw materials for our cottage industries, generate employment and income, and rid our cities of refuse dumps or reduce our waste stream destined for the healthy environment, Mshelia, ( 2015 ). A youth full age bracket shows a high potential for high productivity with regard, to scavenging practice because bulk of’ practitioners are of the vibrant school gone age To this regard it is expected to see a commensurate of energy channelled by the youth to mass recovery of resources from waste. Were affirmative that scavenging scavenging from waste dumps helped in their increased income, which improved their standard of living, as they boast of purchasing livelihood items ( television, DVD sets, radio, couches bedding material payment of house rent, marriage, acquire plots of land, pay school fees, medical bill and personal effects ( clothing, foot ware) etc

Increased Income from Scavenging

Within Groups

Findings

CONCLUSION