As the global community marks International Waste Pickers Day, the Lagos waste pickers have called on the government at all levels to expedite action on the global plastic treaty.

Friday Okuh, president of the Association of Scraps and Waste Pickers of Lagos (ASWOL), made the call at an event on Saturday in Lagos.

The International Waste Pickers Day is celebrated annually on March 1 in commemoration of waste pickers who lost their lives in Colombia in 1992.

The Global Plastic Treaty is an international agreement currently being negotiated by around 175 countries to end plastic pollution at every stage of the material’s lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal.

Mr Okuh said the treaty should recognise waste pickers’ rights in international and local laws, reduce plastic pollution, and guarantee a just transition for waste pickers.

“Our vital work in material recovery, collection, recycling, and reuse actively combats plastic pollution and addresses climate change and circular economy sustainability.

“A treaty with mandatory just transition provisions will uplift more than 300,000 in Nigeria and over 40 million waste pickers worldwide, secure our livelihoods, and affirm our essential role in safeguarding our planet.

“We call on governments to finalise this treaty with bogus ambition treaty without delay, and we urge every waste picker to advocate for a future that respects our contributions,” Mr Okuh said.

He said ASWOL stand in solidarity with the courageous waste pickers who face violence daily on dumpsites and streets and with those in some states and Abuja who are enduring displacement from their livelihood.

“The livelihoods of waste pickers were under increasing threat with governments closing dumpsites and landfills without consulting us, even though we depend on these spaces for our work and wages.

“We celebrate every waste picker in Lagos, Nigeria, and other organisations and movements that commemorate this day.

“Our collective commitment drives community progress and ignites transformative change in the country and worldwide,” Mr Okuh said.

(NAN)