Due to unclean conditions and other environmental infractions, officials from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the state’s Environmental Sanitation Corps sealed the Mile 12 International market and the Owode Onirin market in a joint operation.
The operation was carried out in the early hours of today, Friday, October 13, on the orders of the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, according to a statement on LAWMA’s official Facebook page.
Wahab went on to say, “Conditions in the markets have deteriorated to a point where immediate intervention became inevitable.”
He went on to say that the closure, while tough, will allow stakeholders to examine the situation and promote public health and environmental sanity along those axes.
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The Commissioner advised traders and customers to prioritize hygiene and sustainable standards in their everyday business operations, and hinted that safety audit personnel would be assigned to the market to check the condition before considering reopening.
He also emphasized that the enforcement action was part of a larger campaign to establish a culture of cleanliness and compliance with environmental standards throughout the state’s markets.
Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director of LAWMA, also stated that the closure was necessary and that the Lagos State Government will not stop in enforcing cleanliness and environmental standards, particularly around business facilities.
Gbadegesin asked state markets to help the government by following laws and regulations aimed at keeping the city cleaner and more habitable for all.