NASWADEN Accuses Abia Govt of Defying Court Judgment, Alleges Illegal Takeover of Union Functions

The National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers Association of Nigeria (NASWADEN) has accused the Abia State Government and its agents of deliberately interfering in the internal affairs of the union, in defiance of a subsisting court judgment.

The dispute dates back to August 2024, when the registered trustees of NASWADEN dragged the Abia State Government and its agents before the court over alleged interference in the union’s activities. The matter was adjudicated by Justice C. K. Nwankwo, who delivered a ruling on 25 March 2025, affirming the union’s position.

Despite the judgment, NASWADEN alleges that the state government subsequently appointed an agent to infiltrate its check-off dues collection system. According to the union, this agent collects ₦5,000 from vehicles conveying members’ goods, while the union independently collects ₦12,000 as statutory check-off dues from its members—a claim the association says is verifiable through available video evidence.

The situation reportedly escalated later in 2025 when the National President of NASWADEN Comr. Uchechukwu Luke received complaints from members over additional financial burdens. Upon investigation, the president discovered that a document purportedly issued by the Ministry of Environment was being sold to scrap dealers for ₦10,000, allegedly on behalf of the Commissioner for Environment.

Describing the document as an unapproved levy and an added hardship, the NASWADEN president ordered its immediate discontinuation.

The union claims that this decision triggered a backlash, alleging that the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon, encouraged dissent within the ranks of scrap dealers, prompting some members to submit petitions and stage protests against the national leadership of NASWADEN.

According to the association, these developments culminated in the government’s attempt to take over the union’s statutory responsibilities, including the appointment of an agent whose name appears on payment flyers currently in circulation.

Further complicating the situation, NASWADEN alleges that the Abia State Government entered into a collaboration with Inner Galaxy Iron and Steel Company Nigeria Limited, located at Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area, to use the company’s premises as a collection point for the disputed payments.

In response, the union has formally addressed its members, urging them to resist what it describes as intimidation and unlawful takeover of its functions. NASWADEN is calling on the state government to maintain the status quo, citing concerns over peace, security, and respect for the rule of law.

The association insists that the judgment of Justice C. K. Nwankwo, particularly its concluding section, remains clear and binding, stressing that “the last paragraph of the judgment speaks for itself to all who are willing to listen.”