LASG IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING CLEANLINESS, GOOD HYGIENE IN MARKETS

… As Monitoring Team Embarks on Inspection Tour of Markets in Lagos

Following the directives of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu that sanity returns to markets across the State, the Monitoring Department in the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development has commenced the inspection of all major markets in the State to ensure proper hygiene and cleanliness returns to the markets.

The Director of the Monitoring Department in the Ministry, Mr. Raymond Ogunjobi, who led the Inspection Team, in collaboration with Environmental Offices in the Local Government and Local Council Development, while speaking at Orile Agege and Ojokoro LCDA, disclosed that the exercise will be extended to all the markets in the State.

Mr. Ogunjobi explained that the exercise is to ascertain the quality of facilities in the markets and to ensure compliance demanded by the State Government on market structure, market safety, drainages, toilets, market fumigation, waste management and disposal, among others.

According to him, “The State Government had to close some markets recently because of non-compliance with the stipulated market hygiene and safety. We will not hesitate to close markets that do not adhere to the required standards put in place by the environmental and sanitation officers”.

The Director noted that it is important to sustain cleanliness in our markets as this would guide against the outbreak of diseases and ensure that products purchased from these markets are of qualities that would engender the well-being of our people and the economic prosperity of the State.

He also reiterated that as the coordinating Ministry of all the Local Government Areas in the State, the Ministry must ensure that the markets are clean, take notes of findings and give recommendations necessary for Local Government actions.

Sanitarian Abolade Akindele, who was also part of the team from the Ministry, sensitised livestock sellers on the need to ensure that the animals they purchase are healthy and free from diseases that can pose health dangers to the lives of their customers. He urged them to ensure that their markets should be periodically fumigated against rodents that may cause the outbreak of LASSA Fever and other related diseases.

Noting that the team would visit the markets in two weeks to see the level of compliance with the guidelines given, he informed that LASSA Fever is still around and there is a need to protect all food items from rodents that can spread the fever, which can also cause untimely death if care is not taken.

The team encouraged various sections of the market to register with the Ministry for the development of their markets, just as it also advised stakeholders in the markets to avoid purchasing livestock with diseases such as anthrax and other related diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

The inspection team visited Oja Oba Market, Habibat Mogaji Market, Temidire Market, Idera Market in Orile Agege LCDA and Jankara Market, Abattoir Market and Kola Market in Ojokoro LCDA.