Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has issued a firm directive, calling upon illegal cow vendors and street traders situated along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, particularly in the Kara, Isheri Warewa region, to vacate the area within the next 21 days.
Governor Abiodun emphasized that, should these traders not comply with the 21-day ultimatum, their shanties will be dismantled as part of a comprehensive effort to cleanse and restore order to the area.
The Governor articulated that these makeshift shanties, constructed by the traders, have become a source of environmental distress and a security hazard for the general public. They serve as hideouts for street criminals and drug dealers who brazenly prey on unsuspecting citizens.
This initiative to cleanse the region is in preparation for enhancing the aesthetics of these road setbacks to complement the ongoing expressway reconstruction by the Federal Government.
Governor Abiodun conveyed this directive through Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, during a meeting with community leaders at the palace of Oba Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade, the Olofin of Isheri in Isheri.
The Governor, as per a statement released on Sunday, explained that this decision to displace street traders and remove their shanties stems from persistent warnings, abatement notices, and appeals for them to relocate to officially approved markets, all of which went unheeded.
A statement by the Press Officer of the Ministry of Environment, Rotimi Odunniyi, highlighted Abiodun’s concerns about the continued presence of animal vendors and other traders in these unsanitary shanties that have effectively become their homes.
The Governor pointed out that these traders have resorted to open defecation in the unauthorized market, a development that poses a significant risk of communicable diseases such as cholera to nearby communities.
Governor Abiodun made it clear that his government cannot allow a small group of individuals trading outside approved markets to jeopardize the safety and well-being of law-abiding citizens.
In response, Oba Bamgbola pledged the residents’ unwavering commitment to the government’s efforts to eradicate street trading in the area. He acknowledged that these shanties not only create environmental challenges but also serve as hubs for criminal activities that threaten innocent residents and the general public.
It’s worth noting that the Kara market, located along the Lagos-Ibadan highway, is renowned for the sale of cows, rams, and other livestock.
