Lagos to commence ‘Operation Zero Tolerance’ on street trading

In line with the mandate of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at promoting a cleaner, hygienic and aesthetically resplendent environment in the state, as well as ensuring total enforcement of the environmental Sanitation laws, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) is set to commence ‘Operation Zero Tolerance’ on street trading across the metropolis.

The Corps Marshal of LAGESC, CP Akinpelu Gbemisola (rtd.) disclosed this yesterday at Alausa, Ikeja during one of its advocacy campaigns to the President-General, Association of Commodity Women and Men of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.

According to her, ‘’the present administration has declared its resolve towards a greener and cleaner environment, it is therefore important to seek the support of your association and members to key into this vision towards ensuring adequate synergy to completely eradicate street trading, hawking, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other environmental nuisance in Lagos State as it relates to our market places’’.

Akinpelu noted with dismay the activities of street traders, displaying of goods on roads setbacks, walkways, hawking on highways which impedes free flow of traffic coupled with littering of dirt on our roads, stressing that these prohibited acts expose traders to hazards like in the case of brake failure among other catalysts of auto accidents.

In her response, the President-General, Association of Commodity Women and Men of Nigeria, Tinubu-Ojo appreciated the Corps Marshal’s intention to sanitise the environment and expressed readiness to partner with the agency in the area of advocacy to traders in markets across the state.

She, however, appealed for a human face in the Agency’s operations with traders and assured of increased assistance from the body.