The Ogun State Government has warned market leaders and traders against indiscriminate waste disposal, saying markets found dumping refuse within their premises risk closure.
The warning follows growing concerns over the accumulation of refuse and evidence of open defecation along sections of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway within the state.
A visit by The PUNCH on Sunday to the Mowe, Ibafo and Magboro sections of the expressway revealed that parts of the median and roadsides had been converted into illegal dumpsites.
At Mowe, decomposing refuse was seen scattered along the median, while human faeces were also observed, suggesting persistent open defecation in the area.
Similar conditions were noticed around Ibafo and Magboro, while another illegal dump was identified near Lotto Bus Stop.
A resident, Kunle Olalekan, blamed the situation on what he described as inadequate regulation by the Ogun State Government.
He accused the government of failing to properly monitor activities around markets and trading areas located along the expressway corridor.
“The Ogun State Government is to be blamed for this eyesore. When you pass through the Lagos section of this expressway, you will not see anything like this, but here in Ogun, everywhere is littered with waste.
“The government has failed in its oversight responsibility of ensuring that illegal dumping of refuse is curbed,” he said.
Another resident, Ugo Chukwu, urged the government to extend its enforcement activities to markets operating along the expressway.
“We cannot shy away from the fact that most of the refuse is being dumped by traders in markets located along the expressway.
“At Mowe, you will see heaps of corn husks dumped on the median, yet the traders selling the commodity are located just a short distance away. The government must extend its enforcement to these markets,” he said.
However, the state government said it had begun enforcing stricter sanitation measures and warned that any market found engaging in improper waste disposal would face closure.
The Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, Farouk Akintunde, issued the warning after the removal of long-standing waste deposits at Farmers’ Market, Solu Road, Ifo, and Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.
Akintunde said the practice by some market leaders of keeping refuse within market premises instead of using designated waste collection points posed serious environmental and public health risks.
He said the accumulation of waste could contaminate food items sold in markets and expose residents to preventable diseases.
“These heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to avoidable contamination, which could lead to food poisoning and other health challenges.
“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not become havens for illegal waste dumps because they are public places where we all buy what we consume,” he said.
Akintunde warned that the government would not allow traders and market leaders to compromise public health through poor sanitation practices.
He directed the leadership of affected markets to maintain proper hygiene standards and ensure that waste is evacuated through approved channels.
He added that any market that returns to the practice of storing refuse within its premises would be shut down in the interest of public health and safety.
