The Ogun State government has given traders at the popular Kara Market in Isheri a 100-day ultimatum to relocate to the Ogere International Market along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Dr. Sam Olugbenga Oyeleye, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, who gave the relocation order said that the state government decided to relocate the market to restore sanity due to the environmental degradation going on in the market which is situated on its border towns with Lagos State.
He pointed out that the ultimatum which will expire on the 31st of December is to allow for their phased movement as the market will cease to exist in that location as it will be reduced to ground zero with the demolition of all stalls, shanties and makeover structures.
According to Oyeleye, the state government is daily inundated with reports of unhealthy disposal of wastes and other environmental nuisances from the market as well as open defecation on the median and road setbacks despite the provision of public toilets provided by the government.
He said, “The state government will not fold its hands and watch a few individuals in the name of trading deface the environment and spread communicable diseases to millions of residents through open defecation which they have failed to stop despite several sensitization, appeals, and arrests.
“Their bad attitude which constitutes an eyesore is also not in tandem with the state government’s policy of attracting investors to the state as the nation’s industrial hub, so the need to relocate the market for the general good of the state.”
Speaking further Oyeleye said that the Kara market has out-lived its usefulness in that axis as it has been over-stretched with no space for expansion and proper management, so the need to relocate it to Ogere International Market where they will have more space and operate in a more controlled environment.
He also assured the cow sellers and other traders of adequate security and a warm welcome from their host community adding that their movement would be in phases starting from the movement of their cattles, to the closing of the abbatior at Kara to the final movement of other traders as the 31st of December is sacrosanct for the closure of the cattle market.