The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has disclosed plan to demolish shanties and illegal market structures around Cele under bridge, adjoining Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
The Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, said this on Wednesday, while speaking with journalists after the inspection tour of drainage enforcement at Cele under bridge on Lagos Apapa Oshodi Expressway.
Wahab, who was displeased about the illegal and criminal activities going on around the environs, described the markets and shanties as a menace to the society.
“Sometime last year, we had several complaints of illegal activities on the pedestrian bridge and under the bridge.
“Criminal activities were going on. So, we had to deploy our enforcement team to come and do a scope, and the feedback was heart-wrenching for the ministry.
“The illegal activities were not just about marketing and trading. They had also gone ahead to construct lots of shanties under the bridge.
“It goes beyond environmental and safety issues now, and then their waste are now being dropped into the major canal System 6C around this place,” he lamented.
He said the ministry did a full scope on the area, adding that the report is disappointing.
“So, when we got the report, we said let us come today. Let us do a full scope of it and I am glad the press team was also here. You saw the magnitude of what we are to contend with.
“Nobody is saying you can’t have your markets. Your markets are for designated places and areas.
“When you have your market, shanties or stores built on the drainage or on parts of a channel like system 6C, you leave us with no other option than to tell you to remove everything.
“They have served a notice since last week, so they will do an engagement with them in the next few hours, and hopefully by the weekend they should be able to move,” he said.
The commissioner added that the human activities around the environ has contributed to the continuous blockage of the drainage system.
“There are plans this year to put the drainage in shape, but it’s not enough to clear the drainage part and clean it up. It’s about the human activities going on around here.
“This is a full-fledged market as you just saw; illegally being operated around here, and they dump their wastes in the drainage.
“So, even if we clean it up every day, and they still go in, dump their wastes and behave badly every day, It’s just so bad,” he further lamented.
On plans to build a proper market for the traders, the commissioner said it is the responsibility of the local government.
He expressed optimism that he is sure the local government would perform its duty.
“Gladly, there have been direct allocations from the Federal government; so they should make a proper use of the funds,” he said.