SANITATION: LAGOS GOVT REOPENS OKE ARIN, GORODOM MARKETS AS TRADERS SIGN UNDERTAKING
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….Gives 48 Hours Quit Notice To Traders Under Idumota/Ebute Ero Police Post Overhead
The Lagos State Government has ordered the reopening of the Oke Arin/Gorodom Market in Lagos Island on Monday after traders signed an undertaking to maintain environmental cleanliness.
Meanwhile, traders operating under the Idumota/Ebute Ero Police Post area have been issued a 48-hour quit notice.
The directives were given by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an inspection tour of markets in Lagos Island, which had been shut down for over two weeks due to violations of state environmental laws.
During the inspection, Wahab also ordered traders and stall owners under the Idumota/Ebute Ero Police Post overhead to vacate within 48 hours, citing the indiscriminate erection of attachment stalls, which posed environmental hazards and safety risks.
He stressed the importance of environmental cleanliness in all markets to prevent disease outbreaks.
The Commissioner explained that the inspection aimed to assess compliance following the enforcement actions that led to the clearing of Iga Modile, Gorodom, Bombata, Olusi, and Alagbafo drainage collectors and tertiary drains. These areas had been illegally converted into lock-up shops and buildings, prompting the market closures.
Wahab stated that traders along the reestablished drainage channels must sign an undertaking to uphold environmental standards by ensuring sanitation, preventing illegal refuse dumping, and placing waste bins at designated points for proper disposal by PSP operators.
The commissioner also ordered that the markets be reopened on Monday, urging market operators/traders to keep their environment clean and imbibe good environmental sanitation and hygiene practices, stating that it is not only essential for good health but will also attract patronage for business.
Wahab explained the illegal process in which shop owners/traders had converted the setback of the drainage channels in the markets to stalls, impeding the free flow of stormwater and leading to breakouts of Cholera, Diarrhea, and typhoid fever amongst others.
He said if each and everyone makes good sanitation practices a daily affair in their shops and environs it would save the citizenry from continuous visits to the hospitals.
He recalled that the State Government had banned styrofoam over a year ago as a result of its adverse effects on human health and the drainage channels observing that some traders are still using and littering the market environment with the banned item, urging them to stop.
Wahab emphasised that Global warming and climate change are real as such everyone must become responsible for pushing back the climate challenges and effects as much as possible.
During the tour, the Commissioner also ordered the immediate sealing of Kabaran Global Nigeria – Apongbon Truck Park on Adeniji-Adele Road after the expiration of several abatement notices served, stressing that the contractor that would repair the major road is expected to move to the site and the space had been allocated for the use of the Contractor.
The Commissioner sounded a note of warning again to developers and residents who are fond of dumping building materials on the roads and drainage channels thereby causing serious blockage to the natural flow of water to desist from such acts, ordering the immediate sealing of a shopping complex under construction along Adeniji Adele Road.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu said good sanitation practices are not an individual responsibility but a collective responsibility for everyone to take action; everyone cannot continue to accuse the government whereas people continually dump their wastes in drainage channels.
He appealed to traders to desist from unwholesome waste disposal as the generation of waste is an unavoidable aspect of Man’s existence, stressing that they must always discharge their wastes at designated places within the market premises.
In an appreciation response, Alhaja Basirat Owolewa, who spoke on behalf of the Iyaloja of Gorodom Market, expressed appreciation to the government for opening up all blocked drainage channels.
She promised that henceforth traders in the market and around the re-established channel will be compelled to promote Good Sanitation Practices and will make it a priority.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretaries, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji and Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; MD of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; GM of LASWMO, Engr. Adefemi Afolabi and KAI Corps Marshall, Major Olatubosun Cole (Rtd) and other Ministry and Agencies Directors.
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