Olufunmi Zainab
The Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) has partnered with Sahcon Fumigation and Cleaning Services (SFC) to train waste management practitioners in Kano as part of ongoing efforts to promote sustainable waste collection and disposal in the state.
The one-day capacity-building workshop, themed “Sustainable Waste Collection and Disposal,” brought together Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and key stakeholders to strengthen technical knowledge and improve service delivery.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday, the Managing Director of REMASAB, Dr. Muhammad Khalil, said the state government has intensified measures to upgrade the sector through training, improved regulations, and stricter enforcement of payments for waste services.
He revealed that REMASAB and private waste operators had reached an agreement to collaborate more closely to ensure the effective implementation of waste management laws across the state.
According to him, the state government has reviewed franchise agreements with registered waste collection companies and would soon allocate new franchise areas to boost efficient evacuation and disposal of waste.
“Waste management is not solely the responsibility of government; private companies also play key roles across designated zones,” he said.
Khalil identified non-payment for waste services as one of the major challenges affecting PSP operations. He explained that the reviewed franchise agreement provides a framework for strict enforcement to improve compliance.
He added that the state had provided litter bins at strategic locations—such as State Road, Race Course, and Airport Road—but lamented the low level of public usage.
“Waste management is a collective responsibility. Ignorance is not an excuse. We are intensifying sensitisation through mass media, social media and direct engagement,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Sahcon Fumigation and Cleaning Services, Dr. Sani Usaini, highlighted the importance of professional standards, worker safety, and integrating recycling into the waste management chain.
“We can turn any waste into wealth. Nowadays, no waste is useless,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Kano Indigenous Waste Management Association, Dr. Bala Muhammad, appealed to the government to enforce stricter compliance to ensure residents pay for waste collection services.
He noted that poor payment compliance had hindered the operations of private companies, revealing that in some communities with over 100 households, only 15 to 20 pay for services rendered.
According to him, the charges remain affordable, with operators billing about N5,000 to service a 200-litre dustbin four times a month, depending on waste volume.
Muhammad commended the state government for introducing mobile courts, expressing confidence that defaulters would now be compelled to comply.
“With mobile courts in place, it will no longer be business as usual,” he said.