Cholera epidemic looms in Lagos due to waste disposition

Cholera epidemic looms in lagos because of waste taking over markets and streets, despite priding itself as a mega city.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), saddled with the responsibility of disposing wastes in the state, has abandoned them.

Speaking to some of the marketers at the popular Martins Street in Balogun Lagos, lamented that despite paying their monthly dues to LAWMA regularly, they have refused to play their own part of the bargain. They also expressed fears that if nothing was done urgently, everybody coming into the market may also be affected.

One of the traders, Mrs. Oluwashikemi Oluwadaramola said, “It is over two weeks that LAWMA came to pack these wastes. We have called them, made all necessary moves, yet they have refused to do their job. We are pleading with them to come and pack all these. It is very dangerous to our health. I have been stooling for the past three days because of the offensive odour from the waste. They throw all manner of waste in this place, including faeces. This is not good for our health. We are selling our goods here, we don’t have any other source of livelihood.”

Another trader, Mr Ibeabuchi Ekeh said, “Just take a look at all these and then walk down the road. This poses a health risk. People are doing their businesses here and for two weeks it has been this way. They normally clear it everyday or at worst every two days. The major problem we are having here is that the waste is not generated by us, it is in the night that they normally dump it here and when we arrive in the morning, we find them. This is our business place and we can’t run away from here.”

Similarly, Mrs Bukola Alawo, also a trader in the market said, “I have been stooling for the past five days. Lagos State should come and help us to clear all these, this is unfair. The waste has been here for over three weeks, they should not kill us. We pay our LAWMA dues of N500 every month, each shop pays N500 and if you have two shops, you pay N1000.”

Another trader who simply identified himself as Mr Okey said, “We don’t have power over this, we have complained a lot and they told us that if we can’t stay, we should go back to our homes.

Not only is the waste already making people ill, it’s causing a lot of traffic inside this market. Some people have stopped coming to the market because of the terrible odour. This has been on for two weeks and two days.”