As part of measures to enforce compliance with the Oyo state government’s directive to market operators across the Ibadan metropolis over environmental sanitation, the state government today visited some selected markets for monitoring the level of compliance to environmental sanitation across.
One of the markets visited, the popular Bodija market was today June 3, sealed off for lack of compliance over what was described by the Commissioner as an utter disregard for public orderliness and government directives.
Enraged by the sight of heaps of waste that littered almost every part of Bodija market including the median leading to heavy traffic gridlock along Bodija-UI road, the Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Abiodun Oni led a team of an environmental task force to the area to enforce compliance.
Arriving at the market unannounced, the market operators who had displayed their wares near almost the centre of the main road along Bodija-UI road hurriedly moved their wares away to evade being sanctioned by the environmental task force.
Addressing the market leaders and operators during the exercise, Oni berated the attitude of the market men and women for lack of maintenance culture and their disposition towards maintaining a healthy and orderly market environment.
Oni explained that there have been series of meetings between his ministry and all critical stakeholders of the market with a view to achieving a mutual goal which is a safe, healthy and orderly environment for commercial activities in the state.
Surprisingly, while enforcement was ongoing, some violators were seen dumping their refuse on the median and lucky enough, one was apprehended by the task force.
“We can not continue to condone these people like all is well with this level of nonchalance and sheer disregard for a simple directive which is actually for their own good.
“The Governor is seriously bothered about the state of our environment and we have to ensure we enforce full compliance to the state government directives. I mean how do people show such a level of carelessness towards maintaining an environment where they sell including foodstuffs?” Oni lamented.
Alhaji Lamid Adebukola, the Chairman of Bodija market, in his reaction commended the state government for the enforcement move saying that it will make the market men and women realize that government means serious business.
He acknowledged that despite all efforts by both the government and market leaders little or no result has been achieved due to the lackadaisical disposition of the operators towards government directives.
He, however, promised that the market leadership will step up their campaign for an improved level of compliance with the government directives.
Oni, while commenting on sealing off the market said it will only last for a few hours to serve as a deterrent to violators of government directives noting that the market will reopen very soon.
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