The Lagos State government on Sunday said it was taking serious steps to address street trading in the state.

The chairman of the state task force on environmental offences, Shola Jejeloye, stated this while addressing officers of the task force on the harmful effects street trading was having on the state.

“We have to put a stop to that by ensuring that activities involving buying and selling are taken off the roads and into the marketing complex designed for such.

“Street trading gives room for traffic robbery in some parts of the state,” he said.

Mr Jejeloye said officers would be deployed to carry out round operations in areas like Iyana-Ipaja, Oshodi, Ikeja Along, and Yaba.

He said residents of the state were being made to face unnecessary traffic jams and hardship caused by street trading.

Mr Jejeloye said the operation would be directed at acts of displaying wares on the roadsides, illegal blocking of streets to carry out social activities, flagrant pollution of the environment and indiscriminate parking of vehicles on roads.

He said his officers would also check the illegal collection of fees on the highways by the road transport union officials and others constituting nuisance by serial offenders within the state.

The chairman pointed out that eliminating street trading would drastically reduce the cases of traffic robbery being reported daily.

He assured residents of Lagos State that the agency would not rest on its oars in ensuring that sanity was maintained in all parts of the state.

“We are going to make a series of arrests in the coming weeks, and they will all be made to face mobile court immediately for prosecution.

“This will serve as a deterrent to others to desist from activities that are detrimental to the people.

“The roads, inner streets and highways belong to us all and it is in our best interest to make sure we safeguard and preserve them for our use,” he said.

(NAN)