The Lagos State Government revealed that traders had been given notices before the recent wave of market and business closures.
PUNCH METRO reported that markets such as Mile 12 and Owode Onirin were among the recent closures due to what the government cited as environmental infractions and poor hygiene.
Despite concerns over potential food inflation resulting from these closures, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasized that ample time was provided to business owners to comply with regulations before the closures took place.
Wahab stated, “We don’t just take decisions because we want to. We weighed all the options and that was why we had to ensure that they served them notices to comply. But when they fail, what do you have to do? You have to enforce the law.”
He pointed out that the risk of a disease outbreak due to unsanitary conditions in these markets posed a more significant financial burden on the Lagos Government, requiring more resources to manage. Clean environments are essential to public health and the well-being of the residents.
In response to allegations that the market closures were politically motivated and targeted at a specific ethnic group, the commissioner dismissed these claims, emphasizing that notices had been appropriately served.
He argued that the closures were not based on ethnic or political factors but on enforcing sanitation rules and environmental regulations.
Wahab reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining a clean environment and stressed that environmental infractions would not be tolerated.
He made it clear that the government would enforce compliance with established regulations to ensure the health and safety of the public.
