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

This is contained in a statement signed by Folashade Kadiri, Director, Public Affairs, of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and made available to journalists in Lagos.

Speaking at Ajegunle, Mrs Kadiri quoted Mr Wahab as saying the government decided to re-open the market after it certified that all checklists given to the officials of the market had been fully addressed.

Mr Wahab said the checklist included placement of Double Dino Bin within the market as well as the erection of a fence at the entrance of the market.

According to him, the government will further ensure sustainability of all sanitation laws guiding the establishment of market spaces.

He urged traders in the market to respect the environment and  ensure proper waste disposal at all times.

“We must stop littering our market with wastes, segregate and bag our wastes and always patronise PSP operators, stopping illegal dumpsites on road medians, kerbs, open spaces, and road setbacks and start policing our environment,” Mr Wahab said.

Mr Wahab was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Drainage Services, Lekan Shodeinde and the Permanent Secretary Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji.

Earlier in the day, the commissioner, his team and executives of Lekki Residents Association inspected some of the drainage channels and black spots in the area for indiscriminate refuse dumping.

The team discovered contravention in terms of construction on drainage alignments as well as sealing up of setbacks for drains with concrete by the property owners.

Mr Wahab said that the ultimate goal of clearing and dredging all drainage channels and canals was to allow easy passage of rainstorm water.

“This explains why government has made continuous dredging of major drainage channels and canals spread across the state a priority,” Mr Wahab said.

He said that directives had been given for contravention notices to be served on the affected commercial property owners on Admiralty Way for contravening the state environmental laws. 

He stressed that the poor state of the drainage system management by commercial buildings had seriously affected the road networks in Lekki axis in spite of the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the state government.

He emphasised that government has zero tolerance to environmental abuse, especially drainage blockage using a classic example of the Durosimi Etti channel which is littered with waste and parked shuttle buses, asking that the space should be beautified.

He also dislodged an illegal mechanic workshop on a setback at Admiralty Way opposite Parktonian Hotels, adding that if they attempted to return, all the vehicles would be towed away.

The statement quoted the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, as appealing to the people to desist from dumping refuse into the drains.

Mr Rotimi-Akiodu added that clogging of drains had been compounded by activities of residents who had turned major drainage channels into refuse dumps including tertiary drains across the state.

He also reiterated the warning issued to all property owners who had built on setbacks of drainage channels or drainage alignments to remove such structures as they constitute major impediments to free flow of water into the various drainage channels.

The statement also quoted the Managing Director of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbedegesin, as saying that the authority would ensure a cleaner Lagos at all times.

The locations visited included Durosimi-Etti, Kayode Animashawun/Olubunmi Owa amongst others, all on Admiralty Road.

(NAN)