Lagos State government, yesterday, commenced enforcement of a zero tolerance on all forms of street trading in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, who made this declaration, said henceforth, no form of hawking, street trading and displaying of wares on walkways and setbacks would be allowed in the listed areas.
  
Wahab said the state environmental sanitation laws would be fully applied with mobile courts ready to dispense justice to all those who run afoul of the law.

He stressed that the action was in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s agenda to promote a cleaner and greener Lagos, while ensuring total enforcement of the environmental sanitation laws and creating a safer state for all.

The commissioner decried the prevalence of traders at bus-stops, roundabouts as well as pedestrian bridges in the listed areas, defacing the aesthetics.
  
According to him, the actions of the traders and their patrons do not only obstruct free flow of traffic and aid crime, but also contribute to indiscriminate littering which eventually ends up blocking the drainage systems.

He said: “Lagos, a megacity that is developing into a smart city, has no place for street traders who not only constitute an eyesore to the aesthetics of the city and expose themselves to hazardous situations, but also constitute a threat to the security of lives and property.
 
“The latest enforcement drive against street traders in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island will be sustained to restore the original master plan of the areas.”