By Godwin Tyonongu
Those who do not know might conclude that the pan taker business is an illegal one. But according to the man that wears the shoes and certainly who knows where it pinches, the chairman Nyanya, Pan Taker Traders Association (NPTA), Idris Ado, thinks on the affirmative.
The traders involved in this category of business usually purchase fairly used goods from people who are either financially distressed or relocating to other destinations.
Ado, while explaining to Blueprint how the trade operates, said the benefits derived from the industry far outweighs the misgivings that the public might hold against it.
He said: “We exchange business with many people. When they demolish houses, we go there and help them in buying the items like iron, doors, glasses, aluminum and all sorts of appliances you can think of.
“Again, when workers are transferred to other cities or towns for their job, they do find it difficult to convey heavy load such as fridge, TV, cushion chairs etc. so they bring it to us in exchange for money and it helps them tremendously.
“Another benefit is that most people who could not afford to purchase brand new properties have always found us useful. They come to us because our prices are relatively affordable and it is with this kind of arrangement that some people have been able to stock furniture in their houses”.
Blueprint learnt that the traders normally buy the fairly used materials from their owners according to each person’s financial muscles. How cheap an item sold depends, to a large extent, on how its value has depreciated.
One striking feature of the market is that the people who are well to do have little or nothing to do with it, except the low income earners whose choices are inevitably slim.
In the past, the pan-takers were transacting illegally but currently, they have gotten the nod of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to run as a recognized body. But even with the registration, their kind of business is often misconstrued for those acting the script of the criminals.
“They used to accuse us of buying stolen items whereas it’s untrue. We even distaste anything criminal. When people bring suspicious properties to us, we normally alert the police who would then arrest and detain such suspect”, the chairman said.
Yet another way the business is lucrative is that, the pan-takers would gather pieces of iron including aluminum materials and once it is a full trailer load, they take it to the industrial firm in need of it, and they are paid N900,000 cash.
“Once you have money, you give it to people who will then gather the iron materials for you in a minimum period of one month”, a trader told Blueprint.
The cheapest door at the pan-taker for instance cost N1200, panel door fairly used cost N3000 while the iron door cost N5000.
However, iron aluminum, copper wire and furniture are the most patronized goods there.
The business which started with only five members at the initial stage can burst of over 150 members today, market officials said. This is obviously due to the increasing rate of unemployment in the country.
Blueprint learnt that even graduates are letting ends to meet in the market.
For one to become a member of the association, he must pick a form with the sum of N10,000 and bring a guarantor who is resident in Abuja including his personal details and address.
As at press time, the leadership of the association was still processing the official papers of the site allocated to them by the Parks and recreation unit of the Federal Capital Territory Administration(FCTA).
