The Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has challenged Market leaders in the State to take personal and public hygiene as priority to achieve sustainable environment.
She also assured residents of Lagos that the State would be repositioned for better governance in the next four years.
Sanwo-Olu gave this assurance while speaking at the Seminar for Market Leaders and Stakeholders in Lagos State, held at Epe Local Government Secretariat, Itamarun Epe.
She said the efforts was to evaluate the state of markets across the five administrative divisions of the State and ensure that markets in Lagos state become models for other markets in Nigeria.
“My Office, the Office of the First Lady of Lagos State with the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, COWLSO has collaborated with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs to reach out to all market stakeholders across the State to ensure safety and hygiene in our markets.
“This is because we cannot stop talking about security, safety, and hygiene in our markets as these activities enable the success of any market. The markets remain the only place where we source most of our consumables, therefore we cannot afford to compromise on hygiene or safety. This also necessitated our relentless efforts to the sensitization of market leaders and stakeholders,” she said.
Security Of Markets
The Governor’s wife stressed that Security of markets should form part of the primary responsibility amongst others in order to prevent anyone or groups, planning to disturb the peace of the State.
She therefore urge market leaders in about 382 registered markets in Lagos State to pay keen attention to every activity in the markets and put structures in place that would help safeguard the markets from attacks, fire-outbreaks, epidemics and other vices that can distort the tranquillity that the State enjoys.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr Bolaji Kayode applauded the Wife of the Governor for her commitment to ensure Lagos State Markets aligns with the global standard.
Kayode explained that the past six editions of the seminar has helped to regularised the market space which has also led to the level of compliance in the concerns for market
Sanitation and Security
He commended the efforts of the First-Lady of Lagos State, the critical stakeholders and Market Leaders and users, whose efforts have led to this noticeable compliance.
According to him “For the past four years, the First-Lady of State has championed the advocacy and sensitisation on Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders across the five divisions of the State and today marks the seventh edition of this Market Seminar, which is to improve our markets in Lagos State.
“It is no-gainsay that the First-Lady of Lagos State; Her Excellency. I Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has been on the frontline of committing herself to ensure that markets in Lagos align with the mantra of this administration in Making Lagos State A 21st Century Economy.
“This noble cause in the past six editions have had profound resource persons who have consistently given relevant lectures that contain information that has helped reduce cases of fire outbreaks in our Markets and also hygiene in these markets.”
The Special Adviser however thanked the Stakeholders for their unflinching support to the State government as he urged them to continue in that regard in order to ensure improved hygiene around the market space.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Environment and Water resources, Mr Tunji Bello commended the market management in Epe local government for abiding by the rules of market operations and embracing good hygiene and proper waste disposal.
The Commissioner who was represented by Dr. Hassan Zanut called for more cooperation from stakeholders in the area to work with the private sector participants, PSP operators to make things work for a better Lagos.
Other presentations at the seminar include Health Talk On Preventive care, Fire prevention and safety in Markets, Information Management as a security tool in Lagos Open markets, Role of Market leaders in Security and Safety in Community Policing among others.
Confidence Okwuchi
