The Lagos State Government today re-opened Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market in Mushin area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria after two weeks of closure.

The market was shut by the government on 25 February, 2013 as a result of filth at the market and environmental degradation, as well as hooliganism and thuggery in the market.

Officials of the Lagos State Government and leadership of the market met today and signed an agreement that the market must be kept clean always and that no street trading would be allowed on the streets.

Taskforce Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman told P.M.NEWS that the government and the traders are meeting over the re-opening of the market, saying that the market would be re-opened after the meeting.

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello had said that some of the conditions that might warrant re-opening of the market include: complete removal of all illegal structures and attached structures built along canal paths and that traders must be confined to the main markets.

“Under no condition must they trade or solicit for customers on the main road, they must remove all shop attachments built round the market/canals, remove all derelict and abandoned vehicles parked within the market as far as the expressway, remediate all forms of degradation on the roads and market area, sort out waste management issues with LAWMA as they cannot continue to dump into the canals, ensure total cleaning of the entire market and adjoining streets which they have degraded, among others,” he said.

Bello had lamented the poor state of the market, saying that “ the environment is seriously polluted and degraded with oil; full and half engines spare parts and human waste are dumped into canals, while illegal structures were built along drainage paths and all the canal setbacks have been turned to shops and trading points.

“A visit to the place also shows that street traders have taken over the entire major inlets and outlets at the market, while residents have severally petitioned the Ministry of the environment about lack of access to their homes and property. These traders have degraded all the major access roads to the market which need remediation rehabilitation.”

Before the re-opening of the market, intensive sanitation had been done by the marketers, while shanties built on drainage channels were demolished.

Last week, Governor Babatunde Fashola visited the market with his counterpart from Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and decried the horrible environmental state of the market and gave conditions for its re-opening.

He described the state of the market and its environs as “massive degradation of a section of Lagos,” saying that the good thing in the visit was that the traders had seen the lack of caution in their deed and were ready to make amends.

“It is a massive degradation of a section of Lagos and this is not acceptable. People should not carry on like this. But what is, perhaps, worthy of note is that those who are involved have seen the error of what they have done here and are ready to work with us to clean-up and I have said here that they must take the lead.

“The canal there poses a lot of danger and we are expecting heavy rains. I don’t want to come back here to pick any dead body. We built the canal and we must make it work by not trading on it and not dumping refuse in it.

“People told me that they picked engine parts, spare parts and other things from the canal. It must stop,” the Governor said, adding that there is now an agreement between the traders and the Government to work together to clean up the place and continue with the business there,” he said.

According to Fashola, “if you must trade here, you must stay behind the property line. You can see the damage you have caused to the road. We have to come back to re-do the road. Now this will be done with taxpayers’ money. It is fine that you want to do business but those who pay the money used to construct the road must also be able to use it and how do they do that if you take over the road?”

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/03/11/lagos-opens-ladipo-market/

Can we see the pictures of the market now?

Nice, Mr Raji Babatunde Fashola!
Things that are supposed to have been done before now, but trying to be adamant with the state government telling us they are losing billions daily as if they are engaged in world bank transaction.
Every game has its rule one must abide in. Just play by the rule and you won't be caught foul.

Hurrrrrrrraaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy.......lets go offload that container and make some money.

Congrats to the ever boastful Igbos.

I hope they've learnt their lessons.

But the question is, do they ever learn?
Can they ever change?

Time will tell.

I just hope my igbo brodas wil obey forthwith!

Correct

Now ,that is what you call governance.the little things matters and the traders will probably make more money as a result

superior1: Atimes, the only language Nigerians understand is FORCE

True!

Any pictures of the cleaned up market? I hope they met all, or most of the conditions before it was reopened.

Virgin Finder: Congrats to the ever boastful Igbos.

I hope they've learnt their lessons.

But the question is, do they ever learn?
Can they ever change?

Time will tell.

Can't you be a Nigerian for once?

yeah,thank you okorocha o for visiting Lagos. all na apc strategies because for fashola to visit that place twice within a week.(second time with okorochas),tell us something Political going on.
any way,let the traders start enjoying their billion transactions again.

End of fight between me and mobuch, we can go celebrate together, no because of fashola no buy beers for me,I no dey chop food, just fried meat and beers.Thank God!!! At least the east will let us breath now......no more fight on nairaland....I hug una my igbo people.......let's go and make money, Ladipo as returns......no more fight,peace be unto you. Obinna,Chukwu,Nnamdi,Ifeanyi and Ikenna.....Ladipo don re-open, tell them ...igbo money land don re-open, me self follow suffer, no wonders why clubs and ashawo joints dry since ladipo closed...

NICE ONE SHA...

After all the threats and boasts from fashola, he finally reopened d market, I guess a lot of money must have exchanged hands

any visible changes?

BRF. Na only God save you. Time still abound, for you to extricate yourself from those renowned for constituting themselves as obstacles to God's people - my people. No auto parts dealer will loose a kobo in the long run. Now all lagosians shall pay!

Good move

At last diplomacy triumph over irrationality and lack of due process.

Thanks to every person who helped in talking sense into the head of Fashola against the advise of over-zealous Assistants.

It's time for Fashola to stop making comments that are absurd and irresponsible of a Governor of his caliber. Such statements which include "Go back to your village" and the likes must be erased from his encyclopedia.

I still commend Fashola for listening to voices of reason and shunning his Nairaland-Brothers who wish us ill all their days.

.

Okoro2015: BRF. Na only God save you. Time still abound, for you to extricate yourself from those renowned for constituting themselves as obstacles to God's people - my people. No auto parts dealer will loose a kobo in the long run. Now all lagosians shall pay!

okoro, why you wan be enemy of peace, abeg go load container tommorow jooh

Ok

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello had said that some of the conditions that might warrant re-opening of the market include: complete removal of all illegal structures and attached structures built along canal paths and that traders must be confined to the main markets.

“Under no condition must they trade or solicit for customers on the main road, they must remove all shop attachments built round the market/canals, remove all derelict and abandoned vehicles parked within the market as far as the expressway, remediate all forms of degradation on the roads and market area, sort out waste management issues with LAWMA as they cannot continue to dump into the canals, ensure total cleaning of the entire market and adjoining streets which they have degraded, among others"

i expect more trouble then seeing that illegal structures would be demolished.

Fashola for no open dat market,
Hunger for kill am,
Baga governor

Good one Oga Fash
Hope the loud mouthed Ibos will not make it a cesspit again
But Gov Fash, no forget Ipaja and its environs O!
Let a touch of governance reach 'em too.

Fashola for no open dat market,
Hunger for kill am,
Biafrans have emerged victorious again
Baga governor

I hope they have added better profit on top the price to make up for the lost weeks
They didn't go to Lagos to look at flyovers
Chop their moni!