Ambode orders fencing of Lagos markets

Dr. Adejare addressing residents of Alimosho during the sanitation exercise.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has ordered all local government councils in Lagos to embark on fencing of markets in the state to curb the menace constituted by street trading.

Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare disclosed this while monitoring the July edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Alimosho area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

He said the entrenched practice of leaving the market shops to trade on roads was currently causing traffic congestion around market areas in the state.

“It is the governor’s directive that all markets should be fenced. For instance, I have shut Obele-Oniwahala market in Surulere in the last three days. We will fence the market and protect the infrastructure within the market. We spend millions constructing the infrastructure but residents destroy them.

“Though the establishment of markets is not the state government responsibility, but we will continue to supervise them to make the market effective. The aim of fencing the markets is to restrict them to the location earmarked for the market. If anyone intends to deal with them, they should go into the market,” he said.

Adejare also said the government was considering setting up mobile court in local government areas to tackle their challenges.

“And part of the solution that we are trying to bring to the councils, though we are still discussing it at the executive council is that they should have mobile courts. We believe that if they have it, they could be able to enforce their bye-laws effectively and charge offenders to court.

“They are the nearest government to the people and if we would get issues right, it will be from them. There contribution to development of the state will be unquantifiable if they get it right. We will continue to encourage them (council) to do better,” he added.

He stated that government was carrying out waste management reform at the state levels, as the reform would be extended to the councils.

“We have incorporated them into the reform. And I can assure you that by the end of the first quarter next year (March), waste management will change in Lagos,” he said.