LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – These are not the best of times for Lagos vendors as the state’s marketplaces are going through what the administration has called “a gale of closures” due to cleanliness and other environmental offenses.
The latest victim in a gale of market closures is Ladipo Market, the famous ‘Tokunbo’ spare parts market in the Mushin area of the state.
Tokunbo Wahab, the state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, who ordered the market’s closure, explained that the action was a response to several environmental offences, including reckless waste disposal, unclean premises, and non-payment of waste bills.
A few days ago, Oyingbo and Alayabiagba markets were sealed by the state’s waste management agency, LAWMA. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, LAWMA’s MD/CEO, explained that the authority’s decision to close the markets was reached after several warnings about their non-compliance with the state’s Environmental Protection Laws.
He added that the laws emphasized zero-tolerance for environmental offences, such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse, wilful defacing of the environment and refusal to pay for waste services.
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On closing the Ladipo Market, Wahab underscored the critical importance of environmental hygiene in markets, saying, “markets in the state must adhere strictly to environmental laws and regulations put in place for the well-being of residents. The closure of this market serves as a stern reminder that no entity, regardless of its size or influence, is above the law.”
He stated that the state government was fully committed to collaborating with market stakeholders, to facilitate necessary adjustments and improvements, to enable them meet required environmental standards, adding that the market would not be reopened for business until set standards were met.
“Ladipo Market, a prominent hub for automotive spare parts and related services, has been a focal point for environmental concerns due to various activities that contravene established regulations. LAWMA’s intervention is a significant step towards rectifying these issues and bringing the market to compliance,” the commissioner said.
In his reaction, Gbadegesin said that the closure was expected to allow for a thorough assessment of the environmental impact of the market’s activities and the implementation of necessary remedial measures, serving as a clear signal that LAWMA would not hesitate to take decisive actions, where and when environmental laws were flouted.
“As Lagos State continues to grow and develop, it is imperative that economic activities are conducted in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. LAWMA’s recent actions demonstrate the authority’s commitment to this cause. He stressed that the offences against environmental infractions will continue until sanity is restored in our markets, while the next step will be illegal markets”.
Ladipo Market’s closure comes after a similar measure was taken against the marketplaces in Oyingbo, Alayabiagba, Oke-odo, and several areas of Tejuosho Market for repeated breaches. The decision to close those marketplaces demonstrated the state government’s steadfast dedication to the state’s restoration of environmental sanity.