Be conscious of security threats, Sanwo-Olu’s wife implores market leaders

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3 years ago

Ibijoke Sanwo-olu

Wife of the Lagos State governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called on market stakeholders in Lagos to become responsive and sensitive to security concerns, saying doing such was important to avert attacks.

This was just as she said it was essential for market men and women to reject unhygienic practices in their entirety, including “indiscriminate dumping of waste, blocking of drainages, and street trading, among others.”

The governor’s wife made the call on Friday at a one-day seminar themed: “Market Sanitation, Security and Safety for Market Leaders,” organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), which took place in the Surulere division of Lagos State.

The seminar was graced by the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat; Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert; Chairman, Surulere Local Government, Hon. Jimoh Sulaimon Yusuf; the White Cap chiefs, and market leaders, among others.

Dr Sanwo-Olu, who is the Chairperson of COWLSO, charged the market stakeholders to join efforts in intelligence gathering by divulging information on security threats to the appropriate channels to ensure that “potential security threat is nipped in the bud.”

“We have purposely included the security and safety of our markets as part of the topics at this seminar for obvious reasons that security is everybody’s business, and as market men and women and community leaders, we must be conscious of the need to make our security a priority.

“When we see something, let us not only say something but do something to ensure that a potential security threat is nipped in the bud,” she told the market stakeholders.

The governor’s wife reiterated that there must be proper identification of all traders and people trading in the market, saying monitoring and evaluation of security activities in the market “must be a daily affair and also in every community.”

“As market men and women, you must take ownership of security in your markets, and you have to speak up and speak out loud and clear when you suspect any suspicious movement or activity around you,” she charged.

Speaking further, Dr Sanwo-Olu further charged them to be sensitive to prevent fire outbreaks in the markets, just as she called on them to instil sanity in markets across Lagos as, according to her, such was essential to take the profile of market situations in Lagos beyond the present state to meet international standards.

On the need to ensure cleanliness in markets, the governor’s wife said the seminar was in furtherance of efforts to ensure that activities in such environment were conducted in a hygienic, safe, and secure environment, recalling the past four seminars earlier held in different locations on the issue, the latest being the fifth in the series.

According to her, the sensitisation is held essentially to ensure that market activities are conducted in line with international best practices, especially as they relate to sanitation, security, and safety, even as she noted that empirical evidence had shown that there is a nexus between the state of an environment and the health of residents in such an environment.

“The truth is that it is in our collective interest to imbibe international best practices in administering markets and our environment.

“Garbage in, Garbage out; it is the way you treat your environment that it responds to you. This is why hygiene in the market becomes extremely important as all residents are connected one way or the other.

“We know that a lot of waste is generated from our markets and as market leaders, it is important that we must reject unhygienic practices in their entirety, including indiscriminate dumping of waste, blocking of drainages, and street trading, among others,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

“The issue of hygiene and cleanliness in our markets is paramount, and every important and necessary step must be taken by all stakeholders to inspire a healthy and secure marketplace,” she added.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Robert said organising such a programme “consistently over the years is proof that with our concerted efforts, making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy is possible.”

Robert said the seminar addresses the fibre of the state on security and sanity of markets in Lagos State, adding that much vigilance and attention needed to be paid even to the tiniest detail in markets in the state in order to guarantee the safety of lives and properties.

The governor’s aide, while noting that security and sanitation no doubt remained vital issues in “our society, especially in our markets,” said it was essential to spread the message across other nooks and crannies of the state.

“Much vigilance and attention must be paid even to the tiniest detail in our markets, so as to guarantee the safety of lives and properties.

“No doubt, security and sanitation remain vital issues in our society, especially in our markets,” he said.

“Let me also inform us, that, Lagos State under the leadership of Mr Governor has been at the top of the security situation in the State, hence the ease of business and the developmental projects we are experiencing in the state,” he added.

Commending the organisers of the programme, he assured continuity of efforts to enhance “the advocacy and sensitisation on Market Sanitation and Security for Market Leaders,” urging the stakeholders to maximise the opportunity to learn better ways on market sanitation and security that the seminar afforded them.

The State’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, represented by Dr Hassan Sanu, said considering the space limitation of the state in face of a teeming population, it was important for market stakeholders to conduct themselves responsibly, with conscious efforts to manage of market sites.

He said it was important for them to imbibe proper waste management in line with the demands of the recycling system for the green economy initiative of the state government.

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, represented by Bola Adewunmi, appreciated the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support in line with waste management.

Odumboni, while noting that cleanliness of markets was a joint effort, said the Authority was truly committed to the duty assigned to it day and night, just as he called for proper waste sorting and management to make the waste-to-wealth a reality in the state.

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