Politics
THE wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, on Friday urged market leaders to ensure healthy and secure marketplaces in the state.
Sanwo-Olu gave the advice during a one-day seminar on Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders and Stakeholders in Lagos Division, held at Surulere Local Government Secretariat, Surulere.
The seminar was organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs.
She said that it had been established by empirical evidence that there is a nexus between the state of an environment and the health of the residents there.
”Garbage in, Garbage out; it is the way you treat your environment that it responds to you.
“This is why hygiene in the market becomes extremely important, as all residents are connected one way or the other toward the markets.
”We know that a lot of waste is generated from our markets and as market leaders, it is important that we must reject unhygienic practices in their entirety, including indiscriminate dumping of waste, blocking of drainages, and street trading, among others.
”The truth is that it is in our collective interest to imbibe international best practices in administering markets and our environment.
”The issue of hygiene and cleanliness in our markets is paramount, and every important and necessary step must be taken by all stakeholders to inspire a healthy and secure marketplace,” Sanwo-Olu said.
She said that the seminar, which was the fifth in the series, was with the commitment to put the welfare and wellbeing of market men and women on the front burner.
According to her, the security and safety of the markets as part of the topics at the seminar is for obvious reasons that security is everybody’s business.
The wife of the governor said that market men and women and community leaders must be conscious of the need to make security a priority.
”When we see something, let us not only say something but do something to ensure that a potential security threat is nipped in the bud.
”Let me reiterate that there must be proper identification of all traders and people trading in the market.
“The monitoring and evaluation of security activities in the market must be a daily affair and also in every community.
”As market men and women, you must take ownership of security in your markets, and you have to speak up and speak out loud and clear when you suspect any suspicious movement or activity around you.
”These and many others, including ensuring that fire outbreaks in the markets are prevented, are the reasons for this seminar,” she said.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, said It was important for market stakeholders to conduct themselves responsibly.
He said that this was so, with the space limitation of the state in the face of a teeming population.
Bello, represented by an official in the ministry, Dr. Hassan Sanuth, said that the stakeholders should make conscious efforts to manage the market sites.
In his welcome address, Mr Bolaji Robert, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Community Affairs, said that organising such programme consistently over the years was a proof that concerted efforts would help in making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy.
Robert said that the seminar; ”Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders”, addressed the fibre of the state, security, sanctity and sanity of the markets in Lagos State.
He said that ”security” and ”sanitation” remain vital issues in the society, especially in the markets; hence, the reason COWLSO had continued to lead the frontier of the noble cause.
”We have seen a tremendous level of compliance in our markets as it concerns market sanitation and security.
”This is why we must commend the efforts of the First Lady of Lagos State, the entire members of COWLSO; our amiable Iyaloja-General and market leaders and users, whose concerted efforts have led to this noticeable compliance.
”Today, we are here again to resonate Lagos State’s mantra; ”Igbega Ipinle Eko…. Ajumose Ni…”, this is why we must ensure that the same message spreads across other nook and cranny of the state.
”As a state that maintains its City of Excellence status, I want to also urge the Office of the Iyaloja-General to continually implore our market leaders and the members of the Lagos State Market Advisory Council (LASMAC) to ensure compliance to hygienic and safety procedures in our markets,” Robert said.
He said that the Lagos State Government had been on top of the security situation in the state, hence, the ease of business and the development projects being experienced.
The special adviser, however, said that much vigilance and attention must be paid even to the tiniest detail in the markets, so as to guarantee safety of lives and properties.
He said that the rains had come, and traders must ensure clean and healthy market environment, where the market produce and wares could be trusted to have been kept in best hygienic conditions.
Robert urged them to bag their waste and dispose them in the containers provided by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). (NAN)
A.I
Tags: Dr. Hassan Sanuth Mr Bolaji Robert Mr Tunji Bello Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu
