February 17, 2024

The Lagos State Government will on Monday, February 19 begin the full implementation on enforcement of the ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam food packs.

This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday by the ministry’s spokesman, Kunle Adeshina.

According to the statement, the  Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Friday while meeting with all market leaders in the state.

The commissioner said that enforcement officers from LAGESC/KAI, Environmental Health Officials and LAWMA Police and the Ministry would go after all those having the styrofoams in their shops, stores or outlets and confiscate them.

“I would like to appeal to all our traders to desist from selling on the railway lines and all the roads. Also, we must stop littering our market with waste. We must segregate our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronise PSP operators,” the commissioner said.

Wahab emphasized that styrofoam usage had caused enough damage to the health of the residents and the state of the environment for so many years and that government is determined to encourage viable option for Styrofoam containers across the metropolis.

He appealed to market leaders to be reminded that cleaniness is next to Godliness and as such they must ensure that a clean environment remains a priority always.

He added that the government is disturbed about the unsanitary habits in most of the markets across the state hence leading to the recent closure of some markets across the state.

He explained that government derives no pleasure in closing peoples’ businesses, emphasizing that some markets were in a sorry state because of the non challant attitude of the markets executives.

He also mentioned that there were recent reports that government officials were attacked whenever they visited markets to ascertain the sanitary levels and enforce environmental laws in the market.

“I will like to appeal to all our traders to desist from selling on the railway lines and all the roads. Also,we must stop littering our market with wastes. We must segregate our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronize PSP operators”.

He stressed that in a few weeks time, the state government would commission the Red Rail line that is expected to operate from dusk till dawn adding that trading activities on the railway lines is very risky and could lead to loss of lives .

Earlier in his remarks, the Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu charged market leaders with the responsibility of ensuring cleanliness in their respective market places stressing, that selling on the roads should be discouraged by all.

He added that it had been observed that some illegal markets now appoint splinter leaders, leader for the main market and another for roadside traders saying this illegal acts must be discouraged as it is against the environmental laws of the state.

He called on markets leaders to ensure that they have functional public toilets in their markets to curb menace of open defecation that can pollute the environment as well as desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the markets.

Also in his welcome address, the Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin noted that the meeting became necessary to outline the position of government on effective waste management in all markets, in line with the THEMES plus Agenda of the present administration.

He recalled that last year, the government embarked on zero tolerance for filth and indiscriminate waste disposal in markets, road medians, business facilities and unauthorised locations around the state, saying that the objective is to make Lagos a clean and healthy city, livable for all.

“I must note again, that all government’s effort in the area of effective waste management, is to build a people-friendly environment, that guarantees happiness and good health for all residents” he said.