Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has given street traders along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, especially Kara, Isheri and Warewa, a 21-day ultimatum to vacate the area, to free it of criminal activities.

The governor gave the directive, yesterday, through the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, during a meeting with community leaders at the palace of Olofin of Isheri, Oba Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade, in Isheri.

He said the move was also part of government’s efforts at restoring environmental sanity to the area.

The first step to take, according to him, is the demolition of shanties for a proper clean-up of the axis in preparation for beautification of those setbacks to complement the reconstruction of the Expressway by the Federal Government.

Abiodun said the state government took the decision to dislodge the street traders and demolish all shanties to restore environmental sanity after several warnings, abatement notices and other entreaties for them to move to government approved markets failed.

He added that aside the environmental nuisance they constitute, most of the shanties are security risk to the public, as they are used as criminal hideouts by street urchins and drug peddlers, who rob citizens of their valuables in broad daylight.

Abiodun added that their continuous stay in the filthy shanties, which they have converted to homes, are of concerns to the government as they practise open defecation, which can lead to outbreak of communicable diseases in adjoining communities.

“So my government will not wait and allow a small group of individuals in the name of trading, which is outside approved markets put the safety and health of our decent people at risk,” he added.

Responding, Oba Bamgbade, on behalf of the community leaders, pledged the commitment of the residents to government’s efforts at ridding the axis of street traders.

MEANWHILE the state Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, has said officers and men of the Social Orientation and Safety (SO-SAFE) Corps would be given adequate support to ensure the smooth running of their operations.

Hamzat gave the assurance while playing host to the leadership of the So-Safe Corps, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He said it was essential that necessary equipment be provided to the officers and men of the corps, to ensure that the security of the state was not undermined; noting that without adequate security, there would be no development.

The commissioner appreciated the So-Safe commandant for good job across the state, promising to attend to every pending request to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.

In his response, the Corps Commandant, Soji Ganzalo, underscored the importance of security to the state, saying: “It is an utmost priority of the corps, that is the reason we are soliciting for the commissioner’s support and congratulating him on his reappointment and redeployment to the ministry.”