The Lagos State Government this morning warned traders in the habit
of displaying their wares on the road for sale beyond the confines of
the market thereby causing traffic gridlock and other environmental
nuisance to desist henceforth otherwise markets where such illegal
activities are perpetrated would be shut down till further notice.
According to reports, Akinwunmi
Ambode, who handed down the warning at a meeting with leaders of Agbado
Oke-Odo Market held at Lagos House in Ikeja, said the activities of the
traders who are in such habit had reached a level which the State
Government could no longer condone, hence the need for a final warning.
The
Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government,
Mr Tunji Bello, said aside causing avoidable and needless traffic, the
traders were also in the habit of dumping their refuse on the road,
thereby causing environmental and health hazards.
He
said:
“This is just to come and deliberate on the Agbado Oke-Odo Market
because of the situation there. The market has become a stumbling block
particularly to those using the road. The traders have blocked the
Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to the extent that even the contractors
working there don’t have place to work because they have taken over the
area. “They cause a lot of traffic gridlock and people coming from Ota
or from Abule Egba don’t have the road to connect other areas of the
State. We have warned them consistently but we are yet to get any
result. That is why we have summoned today’s meeting.“The
meeting is basically to call them to order and give them the last
warning. The idea initially was to shut down the market today but the
Governor decided that we should give them just one week to put things in
order,” Bello said.