CITIZENS COMPASS —Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) on weekend, condemned the closure of Mile 12 International and Owode Onirin markets in Lagos State saying it is an avenue to impoverish innocent traders.
The Group in a statement signed by its president, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, said the market closure that negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Lagos residents is unfortunate and a misplaced priority.
According to him, “It should be instructive that the two markets are not only critical to economic survival of millions of traders across the country but also strategic to the supply of perishable food and vehicle spare parts in Sub-Sahara Africa.
” In consonance with the mandate of deploying advocacy in support of socio-economic rights of citizens, we condemn recent closure of Owode Onirin and Mile 12 International markets by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.
” Indeed, we are aware that the two markets have, on many occasions in the past, been adjudged as compliant to the maintenance of a clean environment as manifested by the introduction of innovations and Infrastructural development that has tremendously improved the standard of the markets.
“We maintain that Lagos State Government in its quest to ensure that all markets maintain hygienic environment should not arbitrarily adopt closure of markets as weapons considering that Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) has failed to meet up with the expectations of traders in spite of fulfilling the necessary obligations to the agency in charge of waste disposals.
“We are aware that Mile 12 International market has featured as the best maintained perishable food markets in Nigeria thus serving as an example to other similar markets across the country.
” We also wish to reiterate that arbitrarily and frequent closure of markets at a time of economic downturn when citizens are barely coping with survival is ill-conceived and counterproductive.
” We therefore call on Governor Babajide Sanwiolu to as a matter of urgency order the reopening of Owode Onirin and Mile 12 International markets to avoid the unintended consequences on economic Investments and livelihoods of the overwhelming majority of the people. “
CHSR is a service oriented membership organization registered to promote, defend and sustain the fundamental human and Socio-economic rights of every Nigerian.
Recall that the State Government had ordered the closure of the markets citing environmental reasons.
