or constituting nuisance, the Lagos State Government yesterday sealed up the popular Mile 12 Market located in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area.

Fielding questions from journalists, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the closure became necessary due to the inability of the market leaders to comply with the state government directives on ensuring sanity in the market area.

The commissioner said the environmental offences committed by the traders include lack of ability to control drivers of lorries that discharged foodstuff; poor sanitary conditions and indiscriminate parking by customers along the highway, among others.

He explained that,“we had a stakeholders’ meeting with the market leaders earlier where they promised to comply with the directive but after specified period of time without any improvement, the state government has to move in to save the deteriorating situation.”
According to him, the market would not be reopened until they met the above directives by the state government along with undertaking duly signed by market leaders and stakeholders. He reiterated Governor Babatunde Fashola’s resolve to ensure healthy standards in all the markets across the state.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperative, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, has inaugurated a 17-man committee to look into cases of unhygienic practices and non-compliance with the relevant laws governing meat slaughtering in the state. He said the state government would not condone any act of uncleanness and lawlessness in meat processing and delivery.

“Let me tell you that I will not hesitate to lock up any abattoir found to be in unhygienic condition as well as non-compliance with the relevant laws governing meat slaughtering in the state. The present administration led by Governor Babatubde Fashola is committed to ensure food security and safety in Lagos State,” he said.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2012/feb/02/newsbreak-02-02-2012-001.html