Car Wash Operators Return To Breweries, Costain Areas

Some car wash operators dislodged from the Breweries Bus Stop and Costain areas, are gradually returning to the spot to continue their business, an action threatening the environment.

Our correspondent who visited the area recently reports that no fewer than eight of the operators were seen carrying out their “normal activities’’.

The Tide observed that they were washing cars and buses on the road with water from the pumps installed for watering the flowers on the beautified open spaces.

Their action caused water to percolate on the roads threatening the repair work that was recently done by the Lagos State Government, in its efforts to make motoring easy.

The operators were displaced by the Lagos State Gardens and Parks Agency under the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in February 2012, to give way to the beautification of open spaces.

The Tide reports that since their displacement, the place became a beautiful sight to behold as it added to the aesthetics of the environment in those areas.

Asked why they were making a comeback, some of them claimed they were permitted by some officials of the MOE whom, they “settled’’ daily and weekly in order to be there.

They claimed that they paid as much as N3, 000 to the MOE officials.

“Since we did not find an alternative place to do our business, we decided to come back.

“All that we have done is to ensure that we settle the ministry officials who come around daily and some weekly.

“We wash not less than 50 cars daily at weekends, while during the week days, we wash a fewer number because of the limited operating hours.

“We start from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.,’’ said one of the operators, Mr Saheed Eshe.

Eshe, who claimed to be the spokesman for the group, said the Lagos State Government should provide them a parcel of land on which to carry on their business.

He told our source that lack of the right environment had brought about their using some portions of the road to do their business.

“Since the demolition of the former vehicle parking lots under the flyovers, some portions of which have since been turned into gardens, we have no place.

“This is why we make use of some portions of the road to do our business since we did not have anywhere to go,’’ Eshe said.

Already, the road on which they had been carrying on their business were getting water-logged, an obvious early signs of dilapidation.

But a reliable source in the ministry who spoke anonymously said on Tuesday that their allegation of bribery was untrue.

He said that the ministry had not authorised any of its officials to collect money from such people on its behalf.

The source said that one of the reasons why the ministry would not collect money from such people was that it did not have the mandate to do so.

He said the activities of the car wash operators were illegal and was violating the environment.

“The ministry has zero tolerance for such practices. The ministry or the state government has not authorised anyone to allow such activities or to collect money to allow such activities at beautified areas.

“The state government is going round to checkmate such activities and those caught would be arrested by the police for illegal operation.

“Such activities block the drains and cause environmental nuisance. Culprits will be arrested and punished appropriately,’’ said the source.

It also said that if there were such collections at all in the name of the ministry, it must have been done by fake MOE officials.

He advised residents of the state to report such collectors to the police.

“We are trying to ensure a healthy environment by beautifying all the open spaces that were illegally occupied by traders and other forms of business people.

“Their actions are destroying the beautified open spaces and the roads around there; we should all join hands with the government in protecting our environment,’’ the source said.