Lagos State Ministry of the Environment
has closed down Mile 12 and Ketu Fruits Markets for not keeping to the
state’s Sanitation Law.
Commissioner, MoE, Mr. Tunji Bello, said
both markets were closed for their flagrant abuse of the state
environmental sanitation law and indiscriminate loading and off-loading
of goods on the main road.
Bello said by the traders’ conduct, they were creating traffic bottleneck for other road users.
He accused some of the traders of not using the toilets in the markets but spoiling the surroundings with human wastes.
The commissioner said the closure of
the markets became inevitable after several unheeded warnings to
forestall epidemics and other health hazards in the state.
Bello said the government’s policy forbidding traders from residing in the market was still in force.
He added that markets were meant for business activities and not for residential purposes..
Bello said, “As precondition for
reopening of the markets, all illegal structures within the market must
give way; traders in the market must make further commitment to
patronise the PSP operators and not cart pushers.
“Traders must be prepared to reorganise
the loading and off-loading of their goods in such a way that would
ensure free flow of traffic on the road.
“The traders in the markets must ensure
their environment is clean, clear the adjoining road of street traders
and make adequate provision for toilets to eradicate open defecation and
urination.
“They will also sign an undertaking to abide by our sanitation laws before their markets can be reopened.”
Bello warned markets in the state that
after several warnings and stakeholders meetings with their respective
market executives, the government would not hesitate to shut down more
markets if they refused to religiously observe the state sanitation
laws.
Meanwhile, Bello said there would be
restriction of movement on Saturday to enable Lagosians to observe the
first monthly environmental sanitation for 2013. He said the
restriction, as usual, would begin from 7am to 10am.
Bello added that much waste was
generated during the Yuletide and as such, cleaning must be carried out
in all parts of the state.
“Lagosians are urged to troop out to
participate actively in the first sanitation of the year through the
cleaning of their homes, drains and the totality of their environment,”
he said.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Mr. Authoritarian you have also abuse you own powers of office by closing the market. There are many better ways of resolving the problem.
ReplyDeleteThe market should be closed. That's the language we understand in this part of the world. Mile 12 market is an eye sore.
ReplyDelete