The Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force), CSP Adetayo Akerele, has expressed concern over reports that some transport union officials allocate pedestrian walkways and other public spaces to petty traders, and said enforcement will continue to keep such spaces free of encroachment.
He spoke at the Ikeja Division edition of a stakeholders’ engagement programme held at the Lagos State Safety Arena, Oshodi. The event, themed “Promoting Public Safety and Environmental Best Practices in Lagos State,” was the grand finale of a series that had earlier been held in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Lagos Central divisions.
Akerele said the practice obstructs free movement and creates environmental nuisances, and is contrary to the state government’s policy on public safety and urban orderliness. He said the Task Force is engaging relevant stakeholders and will keep enforcing rules to keep walkways, road setbacks and other public spaces clear.
The Chairman said the agency is working with other state agencies to tackle environmental challenges, particularly waste management and open defecation, which he described as concerns in some parts of the state. He added that enforcement alone cannot deliver environmental safety and that collective responsibility and stakeholder participation are needed to sustain the state’s gains in sanitation.
Akerele said the Task Force’s statutory duties include enforcing environmental laws, removing illegal structures and obstructions, ensuring compliance with traffic and public safety regulations, and supporting government efforts to preserve public order. He also said the agency supports Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda through enforcement, public enlightenment and collaboration with stakeholders, and commended the administration’s investment in environmental sustainability and urban renewal.
Akerele also directed Comrade Adewale Adedotun, Lagos State Chairman of Scrap Dealers and Employers Operators, to ensure that all members of the association are registered and carry verifiable identification. He said this would improve accountability and security in the sector and help law enforcement agencies distinguish legitimate operators from criminal elements.
During the interactive session, the Chairman of Mile 12 International Market said traders there have been proactive in waste management and sanitation, and pledged that market leadership would continue to support government efforts to keep the market and its surroundings clean.
Representatives of the National Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) commended the state’s environmental efforts but appealed for mobile toilet facilities in mechanic villages across Lagos to support the campaign against open defecation.
The meeting drew representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the Office of the Iyaloja General, NATA, other automobile associations, butchers’ associations, the Mile 12 Perishable Items Market, and the Ram Sellers Association.
The NURTW State Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle (Sego), was represented by the State Confidential Secretary, Comrade Omowunmi Aliyu. Corps Marshal Olaniyi Cole (rtd) of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Corps (KAI) and Barrister Adekunle, Coordinator of the Lagos State Mobile Court, were also present. Members of the agency’s administrative and operational management team accompanied Akerele.
The stakeholders commended the Task Force for convening the engagement and pledged continued cooperation on environmental responsibility, public safety and regulatory compliance. In his closing remarks, Akerele said the agency will sustain stakeholder engagement, noting that lasting public and environmental safety depends on partnerships among government agencies, trade associations, transport unions, market leaders and residents.
