The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab on Saturday re-opened the Alayabiagba Market in Boundary, Ajegunle, after adherence to all prescribed sanitation measures by the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Folashade Kadiri, Director, Public Affairs, of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and made available to newsmen in Lagos.

Speaking at Ajegunle, Kadiri quoted Wahab as saying that the government decided to re-open the market after it certified that all checklist given to the officials of the market had been fully addressed.

Wahab said that the checklist included placement of Double Dino Bin within the market as well as the erection of a fence at the entrance of the market.

According to him, the government will further ensure sustainability of all sanitation laws guiding the establishment of market spaces.

He urged traders in the market to respect the environment and ensure proper waste disposal at all times.

“We must stop littering our market with wastes, segregate and bag our wastes and always patronise PSP operators, stopping illegal dumpsites on road medians, kerbs, open spaces, and road setbacks and start policing our environment,” Wahab said.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the commissioner and his team alongside executives of Lekki Residents Association went round some of the drainage channels and black spots to inspect indiscriminate refuse dumping.

The team discovered contravention in terms of construction on drainage alignments as well as sealing up of setbacks for drains with concrete by the property owners.

Wahab said that the ultimate goal of clearing and dredging of all drainage channels and canals was to allow easy passage of rainstorm water.

“This explains why government has made continuous dredging of major drainage channels and canals spread across the state a priority,” Wahab said.

He said that directives had been given for contravention notices to be served on some of the commercial property owners on Admiralty Way for contravening the state environmental laws

He stressed that the poor state of the drainage system management by commercial buildings had seriously affected the road networks in Lekki axis in spite of the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the state government.

He emphasised that government has zero tolerance to environmental abuse, especially drainage blockage using a classic example of the Durosimi Etti channel which is littered with waste and parked shuttle buses, asking that the space should be beautified.

He also dislodged an illegal mechanic workshop on a setback at Admiralty Way opposite Parktonian Hotels, adding that if they attempted to return, all the vehicles would be towed away.

The statement quoted the Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi – Akodu, as appealing to the people to desist from dumping refuse into the drains.

Rotimi-Akiodu added that clogging of the drains had been compounded by the activities of residents who had turned many major drainage channels into refuse dumps including tertiary drains across the state.

He also reiterated the warning issued to all property owners who had built on setbacks of drainage channels or drainage alignments to remove such structures as they constitute major impediments to free flow of water into the various drainage channels.

The statement quoted the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbedegesin, as saying that the authority is now better positioned to ensure a cleaner Lagos at all times.

The locations visited included Durosimi-Etti, Kayode Animashawun/Olubunmi Owa amongst others, all on Admiralty Road.

The statement said that the commissioner was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary Drainage Services, Lekan Shodeinde and thePermanent Secretary Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji.