As a result of environmental infractions, the Ogun State Government has razed shantytowns and disrupted buildings used by street sellers along the Lagos-Ibadan Motorway in the Kara, Isheri, and OPIC regions.
Farook Akintunde, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, revealed that the action was carried out after the street sellers’ 21-day ultimatum to depart the area expired.
According to him, the dealers had deteriorated the environment by publicly defecating despite several warnings and abatement letters, causing a disturbance to the environment.
Akintunde went on to say that the exercise was necessary since the makeshift buildings and shanties in the region had become danger zones for the people, noting that criminals used them as hideouts as well.
He said, “The Ogun State Government will not fold its hands and watch a few elements constitute themselves to security threats to our people while camouflaging to be traders in their illegal shanties and makeshift structures.
“To even think of it, no serious businessman will partner us, seeing them at the gateway of our state with their shanties and garbage, so we will not allow them to tarnish our image as the nation’s industrial hub with their filth and environmental carelessness.”
Akintunde noted that the state government would turn the areas into lawns while cautioning the displaced street traders not to try a comeback.