LASG Takes Sanitation, Hygiene Advocacy To Market Leaders and Traders Accross The State

By Idris Olukoya As part of efforts to achieve an organised market as well as food security sustainability, the Environmental Health Directorate, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources in collaboration with LGAs Environmental Health Officers, has taken its market hygiene advocacy to market leaders and traders across the LGAs and LCDAs within the state. Some of the markets visitited includes; Aiyetoro Market, Epe, Idi - Orogbo Market, Ibeju-Lekki, Oyingbo Market, Ebute-Metta, Aguda Market, Surulere, Iyana-Ipaja Market Complex, Ipodo Market, Ikeja among several others. Addressing Market Leaders during the 2023 edition of a one-day sensitization programme for Market leaders and traders held simultaneously in all the market areas of Lagos state, Hon. Tunde Faud Odupe, Supervisor for Environment, Epe Local Government, representing the Chairman, Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun, said the Epe community markets should be clean always, and a hygienic food handling process must be maintained to ensure socio-economic wellbeing. The Iyaloja General, Lagos Mainland, Alhaja Sikirat Sule ably represented by Vice-Iyaloja, Alhaja Olaleju R. Muhammed spoke on the efforts on sanitation and traders. She observed that in the market environment there are social behaviours that impacts the aesthetic of the environment which includes improper display and storage of foods and food items, Indiscriminate dumping of refuse, adding that the emerging epidemic and pandemic threats that confront humanity have links to markets. “Insanitary behaviours, Open defecation, littering and blocking the drainage system and more deface our markets and are threats to life and properties directly and indirectly” she said. Muhammed appealed to all the market leaders and traders to maintain a proper hygiene and sanitation all the time to make the market environment a befitting place to trade.

Similarly, Sanitarian Qudirat Aramide Pedro, Deputy Director, Environmental Health Services(HOD) Environmental Services Department, spoke on behalf of Local Government Chairman, Hon. Omolola Rashidat Essien at Oyingbo Market, said that all foods items pass through the market environment and are exposed to both intrinsic and extrinsic high-risk factors of unhealthy practices in the market environment. She added that the way food items are displayed can bring about contamination from environmental pollutants. Essien who frowned at indiscriminate refuse disposal under any guise reminded Lagosians especially market women and men to ensure that they sort their waste from the source, saying that every stakeholder must be involved in the New environmental reforms. Sanitarian Sirajudeen Olanrewaju Dawodu, Assistant Director, Environmental Health Servives, Office of Environmental Services, sensitized traders and market leaders at Ipodo Market, Ikeja.

He emphasized that Lagos is the economic hub of Nigeria, adding that the market cleaner initiative will not have any significant meaning without involving the market leaders and stakeholders that monitor the market environment. Also, Sanitarian Akeem Adewale Olaewe, Deputy Director, Environmental Health Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Office of Environmental Services, appealed to market leaders in the Local Government across the state to shun street trading and restrict all trading activities to the market, stressing that it is in the interest of all to respect the Lagos State and Local Government environmental laws/bye laws. He aded that participants at the Orientation/Advocacy programme include market Men and Women, Environmental Health Officers as well as local government officials. Olaewe said that lectures were delivered during the advocacy on Food Hygiene, monitoring and Control, Waste Management, Water Security and quality, Drainage maintenance and flooding, and Pest /Diseases control in the market environment. He added that unhygienic practices such as blocking of drains and open defecation pose threats to lives and property. He urged market leaders and traders to comply with the state environmental laws.

Olaewe commended the unflinching support of Gov. Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu THEMES PLUS agenda in ensuring a cleaner, safer and better environment for all Lagosians. He noted that the efforts and support of the Honorable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab would not go unnoticed. He added that this present administration would not only clean up Lagos environment but would also ensure that Lagos becomes a scornful city.