Ogun govt urges market leaders to maintain clean environment

The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has sought the support of residents, especially market men and women, in its drive to salvage the state from environmental problems. He urges them to always maintain a clean environment at all times.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, at the foundation laying of Olofinmoyin Ultra-Modern Market in Sango Ota, a suburb of the state, expressed disappointment with how traders were unmindful of keeping where they make their daily bread neat, adding that this could expose them to diseases and other environmental issues.

Governor Amosun warned against the filling of the highway with refuses. He said the government would not condone such attitude, saying any market found unclean and with refuse would be closed. ‘’Cleanliness is holiness,’’ he said.

According to Ojuko, the governor’s plan was to finish the projects he embarked on, including rehabilitation of roads, and construction of bridges before the end of his tenure. He urged the residents to key into the government’s development plan to make the state a better place to live in. He noted that development comes with sacrifices, saying maximum sacrifice needed to be paid for the overall development.

“An environment that is not clean will encourage all sorts of unscrupulous elements, to guide against this; leaders of each market should expedite actions and prevail on their members to imbibe the culture of cleanliness. We should not wait for an epidemic to happen before we start doing the right thing,” the Commissioner added.

He appealed to the contractors handling the construction to use quality materials and to speed up the work to deliver on schedule.

Ado/Odo Ota Local Government Chairman, Prince Oladele Adeniji, appealed to the transport union leaders to warn their members against obstructing the highway by picking and dropping off passengers on the roads, this hinders the free-flow of traffic.

He also warned street traders against blocking the highway with their goods; and that this made it difficult for vehicles to find its way in case of brake failure.

Prince Adeniji sought collaboration between market and the union leaders on how the market and garages ‘environment clean and neat.

The contractor, Alhaji Rufai Alao, an engineer, thanked the government for awarding the contract to him, pledging to use quality materials and deliver the job within the stipulated time.