The Lagos State Taskforce has commenced the clearing of traders who display goods indiscriminately on the highways, roadside and railway tracks across the Lagos metropolis through enforcement exercises carried out by the agency on Monday.

The action of the agency was conveyed in a press statement signed by Gbadeyan Abdulraheem the spokesperson, revealing that the operations was tactically supervised by CSP Shola Jejeloye, the Chairman of the Agency, in line with the directives of the State Government to all environmental enforcement agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of restoring sanity on the walkways, highways and rail tracks to stem illegal trading activities.

Jejeloye disclosed that several notices have been served to traders, especially those at Oshodi rail track where the Agency carried out a sensitization and a subtle on the 23rd of May 2023 to discourage them from returning to the tracks but it fell on deaf ears, the statement added.

“Our warnings have been sent out to them for as long as two years ago but they don’t listen. We served notices at Fagba where some people built shanties and kiosks from Fagba all the way to Pen Cinema and Isokoko thereby shortchanging motorists and pedestrians who should enjoy free movement along that axis. It is completely unfair to all Lagosians and we will make sure that they are all cleared out with immediate effect.”

The Chairman however stated that though both the buyer and the seller involved ought to be arrested, but it is softened by the seizure o only the goods found on the rail tracks while the Market leaders were asked to come to the headquarters of the Agency for a round table engagement to foster a permanent solution to the menace.

Contained also in the statement was an all-night raid carried out by the agency under the Apongbon Bridge where traders were asked to vacate the area in order to forestall a reoccurrence of environmental mishaps that could lead to loss of lives, properties, safety and security of Lagosians.

Jejeloye disclosed that the action was necessary following the reopening of Eko Bridge after it had been shut for 15 months after a fire outbreak had occurred due to the activities of traders haphazardly clustered under the Bridge. He stated that it was necessary for the Agency to take these steps at this location and other strategic locations where the activities of Street traders posed a major threat to the Environment and general well-being of Lagosians.

He, therefore, appealed to all traders to relocate their activities to the complex provided by the State Government and desist from carrying out activities that are counterproductive to the State.

“Achieving a Mega City status as enshrined in the THEMES Agenda of the State Government is a collective effort and all hands must be on deck to ensure its sustenance. We will carry out these enforcement exercises on a daily basis to ensure we achieve our aim and anyone found going against the law will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.” he said. (Daily Independent)

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