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Tag: Alayabiagba

  • Lagos reopens Alayabiagba market

    Lagos reopens Alayabiagba market

    Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab has re-opened the Alayabiagba Market in Boundary, Ajegunle, after adherence to all prescribed sanitation measures.

    Tokunbo, who visited the market, said the government decided to re-open the market after it certified that all checklists given to the market officials were fulfilled.

    The checklist included the placement of a double dino bin within the market and the erection of a fence at the market entrance.

    Wahab said the government will further ensure the sustainability of all sanitation laws guiding the establishment of market spaces and urged traders to respect the environment and ensure proper waste disposal always.

    He added: “We must stop littering our market with wastes, but separate and bag them. We should also always patronise PSP operators, stop illegal dumpsites on road medians, kerbs, open spaces, and road setbacks, and start policing our environment.”

    Read Also: Alayabiagba Market shutdown: Leaders, traders appeal for reopening

    The commissioner also dislodged an illegal mechanic workshop on a setback on Admiralty Way, Lekki. He said the vehicles would be impounded if they returned.

    This happened when he inspected some drainage channels and dark spots in the area. The inspection was done with the Lekki Residents Association. Places visited included Durosimi-Etti, Kayode Animashawun/ Olubunmi Owa Streets, among others.

    Wahab, who reiterated the government’s zero tolerance for environmental abuse, especially drainage blockage, said contravention notices would be served on some commercial property owners on Admiralty Way, Lekki for contravening environmental laws.

    According to him, contraventions discovered included construction on drainage alignments and sealing of setbacks by property owners.

    The commissioner stressed that clearing and dredging of drainage channels and canals is to allow easy passage of rainstorm water, ‘and that is why the government has prioritised the dredging of major drainage channels and canals across the state’.

    He, however, lamented that the mismanagement of drainage systems by commercial buildings had affected the road network in Lekki, despite the continuous rehabilitation by the government.

  • Alayabiagba Market shutdown: Leaders, traders appeal for reopening

    Alayabiagba Market shutdown: Leaders, traders appeal for reopening

    • Say they’ll comply with all sanitation rules

    Traders at the Alayabiagba market, Ajegunle, recently closed down by the Lagos State government over improper waste disposal and other environmental infractions, have appealed to the Lagos State government to reopen the market, stating that they have taken necessary actions to improve their environment and also comply with all environmental rules and procedures.

    The traders, led by their market head, Baba-oja, Alhaji Lateef Nda Ibrahim, specially implored the Lagos State Government, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to have pity on them and reopen the market for commercial activities.

    He also said they have taken necessary actions, including decision to relocate the waste bin from the roadside to a place at the back of the market.

    Notably, Alhaji Ibrahim said: “Although we have taken responsibility and are moving the bin from the Coca-cola area where it is currently situated to the back of the market by the waterside, it is important to point out that we have little control over its present location that caused us this shutdown. The current location is about 100meters from our market and all the communities here, including the nearby Navy Barracks, the entire Alayabiagba community, Layinka and environs all use this same bin.

    “To make sure incidents like this didn’t happen, we employed personnel to police the place, and would you believe that on several occasions, the naval ratings have beaten them up, to the extent that some of them lost their teeth.

    “Aside removing the bin from its present location, one of our plans to permanently solve this problem is to purchase a waste evacuation vehicle that will be attached to LAWMA, which will roam the market at least twice a day, to evacuate the refuse. That way, there won’t be any issue of refuse spilling over. We have also requested for one more bin to serve us better, as this market is too big for one bin.”

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    The Baba-oja, who also doubles as the Baba Oja of the entire Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, also expressed fears that the people in the area may continue to dump refuse at the site when the bin is eventually removed.

    “I hope the government will not blame us if that happens, as our control is only on the traders within the market. As you can see, our market is clean.”

    Lending her voice, the woman leader, Iya-Oja Alhaja Jemilat Adeyemi, said traders in the market are being punished for sins of the whole community, arguing that the refuse that caused the shutdown were dumped between Sunday and Monday morning by the entire communities in the area and not traders in the market.

    That notwithstanding, she appealed for leniency, stating that all will be done to put things right.

    “The day they came to close the market was on Monday, which means the refuse were dumped by the entire community, the Alayabiagba community, Nosamu, Baale, Orodu; we even hear that the whole Alayabiagba community has no single PSP servicing them. Even that Monday, it was Baba oja that called LAWMA to come and evacuate the bin, seeing that it was full and spilling, and within minutes, it was full again. Please help us appeal to the governor to reopen the market; we will follow all their procedures.”

    Leaders of the Sand Sellers Association in the market, Mrs Justina Taiwo Shoko and Prince Wale Ojo also called on the governor to temper justice with mercy and open the market, stating that the traders are suffering from the closure. They pledged that they would henceforth take sanitation efforts more seriously.

    “As you can see, we are yielding some of the space we use in selling sand for them to put the bin. Our only prayer is how the refuse would not spill into the canal at the back; because that could spell another problem from the waterways managers. By and large, the best way out is to have an evacuation vehicle.” Mrs Shoko said.