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Lagos Taskforce Again Clears Oshodi Railway Track, Apongbon Under Bridge, Other Areas
The Lagos State Taskforce has matched words with actions to rid the State of indiscriminate display of goods on the Highways, Roadside, kerb, and railway tracks across various parts of the Metropolis through enforcement exercises carried out by the Agency today.
The simultaneous operations were tactically supervised by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye as a result of the directives of the State Government to all Environmental enforcement agencies Government saddled with the responsibility of restoring sanity on the walkways, highways, and rail tracks where some individuals incessantly carry out trading activities which not only debase the environment but also cause pain and discomfort to Lagosians.
Jejeloye disclosed that several notices have been served to traders, especially those at Oshodi rail track where the Agency carried out a sensitization and a subtle on the 23rd of May 2023 to discourage them from returning to the tracks but it fell on deaf ears.
“Our warnings have been sent out to them for as long as two years ago but they don’t listen. We served notices at Fagba where some people built shanties, and kiosks from Fagba all the way to Pen Cinema and Isokoko thereby shortchanging motorists and pedestrians who should enjoy free movement along that axis. It is completely unfair to all Lagosians and we will make sure that they are all cleared out with immediate effect”.
The Chairman stated that though both the buyer and seller involved in these activities should be arrested, he tries to strike a balance and avoid double jeopardy by only seizing the goods found on the rail tracks and urged the Market leaders to come down to the Headquarters of the Agency for a round table engagement to foster a permanent solution to end this menace.
In a related development, The Lagos State Taskforce carried out an all-night raid up to this morning underneath Apongbon Bridge where traders were asked to vacate the area in order to forestall any environmental mishaps that could reoccur and lead to could lead to loss of lives and property the and jeopardize the safety and security of Lagosians.
Jejeloye disclosed that the action was necessary following the reopening of Eko Bridge after it had been shut for 15 months after a fire outbreak had occurred due to the activities of traders haphazardly clustered under the Bridge. He stated that it was necessary for the Agency to take these steps at this location and other strategic locations where the activities of Street traders posed a major threat to the Environment and general well-being of Lagosians.
He appealed to all traders to relocate their activities to the complex provided by the State Government and desist from carrying out activities that are counterproductive to the State.
