By Benjamin Omoike, Lagos
The Lagos State Government, over the weekend, reminded market leaders and artisans in the Lagos West Senatorial District to be mindful of the effect of their business activities on the environment.
Speaking at an advocacy programme for market leaders and artisans, held at Ikotun-Igando LCDA, the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, said one of the fallouts is the challenge of indiscriminate refuse dumping.
Bello, who was represented by the Director, Admin and Human Resources, Mrs. Bukola Agunsoye, appealed to market leaders and artisans to escalate the message to other members that cleanliness of the environment is a priority.
In his words: “Of serious concern to the Ministry and the State is the prevalence of packaging waste such as used plastic bottles, pure water nylon and Styrofoam carelessly disposed in our markets and streets, which eventually end up blocking the free flow of water and resulting in flooding”.
The Commissioner urged market leaders, artisans and Lagosians to embrace the waste to wealth initiative where pet bottles and Styrofoam can be sorted in exchange for stipends, adding that government is working on a commercially viable option.
Assuring the market leaders of the government’s concern for their wellbeing and wellness, the Commissioner said that Lagos is committed to achieving well-organised markets, mechanic workshops as well as motor parks where goods and services are properly displayed, calling for cooperation from the associations.
He expressed dissatisfaction that over the years, most markets and motor parks across the metropolis had been in a sorry state because of the attitude of the market occupiers as well as mechanics and transport workers generally.
“We must, therefore, stop littering our market and motor parks with wastes, we must sort our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronise PSP operators, stop creating illegal dumpsites on road medians, kerbs, open spaces, and road setbacks and start policing our environment”, Bello emphasised.
He also charged mechanics and workshop owners to protect the soil, urging everyone to desist from indiscriminate disposal of used lubrication oil, urban and industrial wastes, noting that the level of adherence to this advice would determine the quality of water and many other elements critical to human existence.
The Sanitation Advocacy programme, which had in attendance market leaders and artisans from all the Local Governments under the Lagos-West is the last in the series as the Lagos-East and Central had taken turns to host the programme.
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