Youths in the Kazaure council area of Jigawa have identified scrap metal collection as a reliable source of livelihood amid prevailing economic challenges.

The youths, who spoke in separate interviews, said the business provides a steady income by collecting and selling discarded metal.

Dayyabu Isyaku, a scrap collector, said he collects scrap metal from homes, workshops and construction sites and sells it to dealers for recycling.

He said the business enabled him to support himself and contribute to his family’s upkeep.

Another collector, Abdulhadi Mansur, said scrap metal collection required patience and consistency, adding that its demand from recycling dealers had sustained the trade.

He encouraged unemployed youths to consider the business a legitimate means of earning a living.

Umar Muhammad also said the trade had reduced idleness among many young people in the area by providing them with productive occupations.

He explained that proper sorting and storage of collected metals helps to improve market value.

On his part, another collector, Sulaiman Abubakar, said, “The business also contributes to environmental cleanliness by removing discarded metal waste from communities.”

He urged the relevant authorities to support young entrepreneurs engaged in recycling-related activities by providing skill development and raising public awareness.

The youths agreed that scrap metal collection had become an important means of livelihood, contributing to cleaner communities and environmental sustainability.

(NAN)