The Ogun State Government has warned market leaders and traders against indiscriminate waste disposal, saying any market found dumping refuse within its premises could be shut down.
The warning follows growing concerns over heaps of refuse and evidence of open defecation along sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the state.
According to The Punch, who monitored the Mowe, Ibafo and Magboro stretches of the expressway on Sunday, observed that the road median and adjoining roadsides had been turned into illegal dumping sites.
At Mowe, decomposing waste was seen scattered across different parts of the median, while human faeces were also spotted, indicating persistent open defecation in the area.
Similar scenes were recorded at Ibafo and Magboro, with another illegal dumpsite sighted beside the road at Lotto Bus Stop.
Reacting to the development, a resident, Kunle Olalekan, blamed the Ogun State Government for failing to effectively regulate waste disposal along the expressway.
He argued that authorities had not adequately monitored the activities of traders operating in the corridor, allowing indiscriminate dumping to persist.
Olalekan said, “The Ogun State Government is to be blamed for this eyesore. When you pass through the Lagos section of this expressway, you won’t 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.”
Another resident, Ugo Chukwu, urged the government to strengthen enforcement around markets located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
According to him, traders operating in those markets were largely responsible for the waste found on the road median.
“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.
“We keep wondering how the refuse gets there. The government must extend its enforcement to these markets,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state government reiterated that markets engaging in indiscriminate waste disposal would face closure.
In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, Farouk Akintunde, issued the warning after authorities evacuated long-standing refuse from the Farmers’ Market along Solu Road, Ifo, as well as Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.
Akintunde condemned the practice of dumping refuse within market premises instead of using designated collection points for evacuation by government-approved waste operators, describing it as a serious environmental and public health threat.
He said, “These heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to avoidable contamination, which could lead to food poisoning and other health challenges, thereby exposing residents of the state to preventable diseases.
“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.
“Exposing what we consume to waste is not acceptable and will not be tolerated under any guise whatsoever.
“The state government will, therefore, not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose our food items to avoidable health hazards because of their careless attitude towards waste evacuation from their markets.”
He further directed the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and enforce compliance among traders, warning that any recurrence of indiscriminate waste dumping would lead to the closure of the markets in the interest of public health.
