The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has urged market leaders to harness technology to develop market operations, ensure proper waste management, and improve hygiene towards a sustainable environment.
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, who is Chairwoman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), stated this during a one-day seminar on Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders in Lagos East, held at the Babajide Sanwo-Olu International Model Market, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development. The governor’s wife said leveraging technology in markets will further advance the market environment to operate optimally.
She re-echoed COWLSO’s commitment to extending the advocacy through community-based associations to further achieve the objectives of the administration’s THEMES Plus agenda.
“Harnessing technology is another key aspect of improving market operations. Tools like CCTVs, public address systems, and digital platforms, including social media, can enhance waste management, public health, and security in our markets. We started this sensitisation through the five divisions of the state, and we are moving through the Senatorial Districts, after which we will move to the Community Development Associations (CDAs) to engage them on this cause,” she said.
According to Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, the present administration recognises the strategic importance of markets as the lifeblood of the economy and has prioritised it to achieve the vision of making Lagos a 21st-century economy.
She emphasised that markets present challenges, particularly in terms of environmental and health risks, noting that addressing these challenges is essential to safeguarding the well-being of market users, the economy, and the environment.
The governor’s wife also emphasised the need to be security conscious in markets and urged the leaders to develop effective strategies, provide training on best practices, and educate stakeholders on identifying and reporting potential threats to market safety, particularly during the yuletide.
She added: “As we are already in the festive season, I urge all stakeholders to collaborate with government agencies to prevent fire outbreaks and other mishaps. The government remains committed to supporting markets by investing in infrastructure, providing training, and promoting initiatives that foster growth and development.”
The Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, said markets are essential hubs of economic activity that provide livelihoods for people, and it is important to keep the environment clean.
According to Robert, the sanitation programme was designed to address the path to improving waste management and public health in markets and how to consolidate this as a recipe for economic growth.
He said: “Markets can also be vulnerable to health threats if waste is not properly disposed of. This is why we must collectively take up the responsibility of disposing of our waste properly.
“Let us ensure that produce and wares from our markets are kept in the best hygienic conditions, especially by bagging our waste and ensuring they are disposed of in the containers provided by LAWMA.”
The Iyaloja/President-General, Association of Commodity Men and Women of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, enjoined the market leaders to prioritise hygiene by ensuring that marketplaces are kept clean at all times.
Host Chairman of Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area, Mrs. Samiat Bada, restated her administration’s commitment to consistently support Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in repositioning markets and ensuring cleaner environments.
Resource persons took turns to sensitise participants on topical issues, including fire prevention and safety in markets, health talks, information management in the market, and drug abuse, among others.
