Eko Hot Blog reports that the Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate two-day closure of Mandilas Market to enable traders’ compliance with directives to remove illegal structures erected on road setbacks within the market vicinity.
The closure notice was issued Saturday during a joint inspection by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), law enforcement agencies and other relevant bodies, following expiration of a 14-day notice for traders to remove shops and wares from roads around Mandilas on Lagos Island.
“The extension of the initial ultimatum was meant to further give room for the affected shop owners to salvage their belongings and voluntarily remove obstructions erected on walkways,” explained Dr. Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development.
Babatunde expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of compliance and threatened enforcement of removals if necessary after the new deadline.
Special Adviser on CBD Bola Olumegbon-Lawal lamented safety violations like generators erected within the market, stating the clean-up aims to achieve “a saner, well-organised and clean city.”
Permanent Secretary Engr. Nurudeen Sodehinde said the government is “sending a strong message to Lagosians to be law-abiding,” adding that noncompliant persons would pay for forced removals.
Sodehinde assured monitoring and enforcement would continue “until total sanity is restored to Lagos Island.”
The government says the Mandilas cleanup is in the interest of resident safety, though affected traders have resisted compliance efforts so far. The temporary closure seeks to compel removals of hazardous obstructions.
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