Lagos State Government on Wednesday told residents that an enabling law to permit reintroduction of the monthly sanitation would be enacted soon.
The government’s resolve was made by the Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Association of Commodity Market Women and Men led by the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Chief Folasade Tinubu-Ojo.
Bello said the invalidation of the exercise by a court sometime ago is a temporary setback, which will be reversed very soon.
He said the meeting, which also had the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ronke Odeneye and Managing Director Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin in attendance, was convened to seek the buy-in of market leaders, women and men on the government’s zero tolerance for indiscriminate dumping of waste.
Bello said markets which had not engaged the service of PSP waste operators should link up with LAWMA to ensure removal of waste.
He said in conjunction with the appointed PSP waste operators, a point in the market must be identified where the waste generated should be gathered before being carted away by the PSP operator.
The commissioner told the market leaders that the government would not hesitate to sanction PSP operators who failed to perform their duties efficiently.
He said the government would have no option but to shut any market that harbours refuse or dumps same on the road.
He said as a form of motivation, competitions would be re-introduced to recognise and reward markets adjudged as the cleanest.
Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo said she will ensure that market sanitation becomes a daily task all market leaders will adopt.
She said her association was ready to cooperate with the government to adopt the methods proposed, to ensure cleanliness in markets and their environs.
