Mile 12, Owode Onirin markets shut as Lagos says no more filth

The Lagos State Government on Friday shut Mile 12 International and Owode Onirin markets.

The government said the two markets were shut for filth various environmental infractions.

The markets were closed in a joint operation carried out by enforcement officers from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI) on the directives of the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.

Wahab said there “is zero tolerance for filth in all markets in the state,’’ adding that henceforth, there would be stringent sanitation measures in Lagos markets. He insisted that cleanliness and adherence to environmental regulations were essential for a healthy city.

He said, “Recent events at Mile 12 and Owode Onirin markets have brought to light the pressing need for strict adherence to sanitation standards in our markets. The closure, though a difficult decision, is a necessary step to address the prevailing environmental challenges and to ensure the safety and well-being of all stakeholders.

“The closure of Mile 12 and Owode Onirin markets will enable the stakeholders to improve public health and environmental sanity. Conditions in the markets have deteriorated to a point where immediate intervention became inevitable”.

Wahab emphasised that the enforcement was not an isolated event, but part of a broader strategy to instil a culture of cleanliness and compliance with environmental regulations across board for markets within the state.

He said safety audit personnel would be deployed to the market to assess the situation before any consideration for reopening, warning other markets to toe the line of cleanliness and environmental hygiene, to avoid severe sanctions.

The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the closure was necessary to protect the health of the public and to ensure it was properly cleaned up and sanitised.