Lagos govt shuts Mandilas market, gives traders two days to remove illegal structures

Lagos govt shuts Mandilas market, gives traders two days to remove illegal structures

 

Lagos State Government has ordered immediate closure of Mandilas Market in the Lagos Island.

Traders operating in the market were given two days to remove all illegal structures in and around the market, including road setbacks.

The closure notice was issued on Saturday during a joint inspection and enforcement exercise carried out by Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in conjunction with law enforcement agencies and other relevant government agencies.

This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Olusegun Olaoye of LASBCA.

It stated that the enforcement exercise followed the expiration of a 14-day self-removal notice earlier given by the state government to the traders to remove their wares and shops from the roads especially around Mandilas on Lagos Island.

Special Adviser eGIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, his colleague in charge of Central Business District, Bola Olumegbon-Lawal, Permanent Secretary at the Office of Urban Development, Engr. Nurudeen Sodehinde, and General Manager of LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, led the enforcement gang of the state during the monitoring exercise.

Speaking on the rationale behind the extension, Dr Babatunde said the extension of the initial ultimatum was meant to further give room for the affected shop owners to salvage their belongings by voluntarily removing all structures erected on the walkways.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the lackadaisical attitude of the affected traders and warned that the state government would move in to enforce compliance and removal upon the expiration of the new ultimatum.

On her part, the Special Adviser on CBD said that the clean-up exercise being embarked upon by the state government throughout the entire Lagos Island was for the safety of the residents.

Olumegbon-Lawal lamented the high level of safety infractions being perpetrated within the Mandilas market including the erection of high capacity generating set on makeshift extensions on the first and second floors. Olumegbon-Lawal stressed that the state government was desirous of achieving a well organised and clean city devoid of all forms of environmental nuisance.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Office of Urban Development, Sodehinde said that the state government was sending strong message to Lagosians to be law abiding.

He added that if the state government was forced to carry out the removal of the extensions and illegal structures, the affected persons would be compelled to pay for such exercise.

He said, “Lagos is an urban state and this implies that there should be organisation and proper coordination in the way and manner we carry out our businesses and all our engagements.”

He assured Lagosians that the monitoring and enforcement of compliance of the ongoing cleanup would be sustained until total sanity is restored to Lagos Island.