By Yemi Olakitan
The Alade Market, a popular market in Ikeja’s Onigbongbo Local Council Area, is closing, according to a statement from the Lagos State Government.
After receiving several abatement notices, the market’s customers continued to violate environmental laws prompting Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, to order its closure.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mr. Kunle Adeshina, the Ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, confirmed the facility’s suspension and emphasised that it would not reopen until certain requirements were satisfied.
According to him, “enforcement operatives from LAWMA and KAI/LAGESC in a joint operation on Wednesday morning sealed Alade Market situated in Onigbongbo LCDA, per the directive of Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.”
Mr. Adeshina stated that Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) worked along with officials from the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) to carry out the enforcement.
According to reports, the Lagos State Government took an active role in shutting down a number of the state’s markets due to environmental violations.
This shutdown will impact the following markets: Mile-12, Alaba, Ilepo, Oyingbo, and others past month.
Due to inadequate waste management, an unsanitary atmosphere, and customers who refused to pay for waste disposal services, several of the markets in Lagos were closed.
Recall, that the Ladipo market was closed by the Lagos State government last month due to environmental concerns? This was the same action taken in 2021.
The state government shut down the establishment, and for the same reason, they threatened to do the same thing the previous year.