LG Sanctions Traders For Defying Sanitation Order

The Itire/Ikate Local Government Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, recently sealed 10 shops for failure of their owners to embark on mandatory weekly sanitation exercise.

The Tide reports that the State Government had fixed Thursday of every week for traders in all markets in the state to clean up their business environment between 7a.m and 10 a.m.

Our source further reports that while the exercise was on, all shops, stores and markets would remain closed.

Some of the affected shop owners told our correspondent that the council officials sealed their shops before they came to open for business.

Mr Chukwuma Eze, a printer at Lawanson, said a neighbour called and informed him that his shop had been sealed up.

“I live at Ijeshatedo, and had to rush down to the shop only to see my shop locked with extra padlock by the local government officials; they said I didn’t do sanitation in front of my shop.

“I did the clean up on Wednesday night before I closed, but they refused and said I was not present to weed and clean the gutter; they said I should pay N3,000 fine after clearing the gutter, “ he said.

Eze said he paid the fine but no receipt was given to him for the payment.

A supermarket attendant, Goddy Ike, said his shop was locked with another padlock by the LCDA officials and was asked to pay N3, 000 before his shop could be opened.

“I went to the council and met with their senior officials and he asked me to pay N3, 000 but I negotiated with them and ended up paying N1, 000 and they gave me the key to the padlock.

“I have returned the key and the padlock to them now,“ he said.

Mr Wasiu Adamson, a tailor at Rafus Ipaye St., Ijeshatedo, declined payment of the N5, 000 fine by the LCDA officials.