Ladipo Market in Mushin has been ordered to close immediately due to multiple environmental breaches, including careless garbage disposal, unclean premises, and non-payment of waste fees, among others, according to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.
He added that it was part of continuous efforts to enforce compliance in marketplaces around the state and that the market would stay closed until the statutory conditions of restitution were satisfied by traders and market stakeholders.
Mr. Wahab stressed the crucial significance of environmental hygiene in markets when discussing the development, saying that “it is imperative that markets in the state conform closely to environmental laws and regulations set in place for the well-being of citizens. The closing of Ladipo Market is a stark reminder that no organisation, no matter how big or powerful, is beyond the law.
In order to help market stakeholders fulfil required environmental requirements, he said that the state government was fully committed to working with them. He said that the market would not reopen for business until the conditions were reached.
“Ladipo Market, a well-known centre for automotive spare parts and related services, has been a focal point for environmental concerns due to various activities that violate established regulations,” the commissioner stated.
An important step towards resolving these problems and bringing the industry into compliance is LAWMA’s engagement.
Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, responded by stating that the closure was anticipated to enable a thorough evaluation of the market’s activities’ environmental impact and the implementation of necessary corrective measures, serving as a clear signal that LAWMA would not hesitate to take decisive actions, where and when environmental laws were flouted.
“It is essential that economic operations are carried out in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner as Lagos State continues to expand and develop. Recent efforts by LAWMA show the organization’s dedication to this cause. The campaign against environmental violations will continue until order is restored in our marketplaces, and illicit markets will be the next target,” he emphasised.
The closure of Ladipo Market follows similar proceedings against Oyingbo, Alayabiagba, Oke-odo markets, and some portions of Tejuosho Market for repeated breaches, claims Mrs. Folasade Kadiri, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. The decision to close those marketplaces demonstrated the state government’s steadfast dedication to the state’s restoration of environmental sanity.
