The government of Lagos State issued a 24 hour quit notice to all new/fairly used furniture traders on road setbacks and walkways along Oshodi, Mile 2 Expressway.
The quit notice came as the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA in effort to ensure safety on the inland waterways, distributed over 1500 life jackets to ferry operators in the riverine communities across the state.
Explaining the quit notice, Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force Superintendent of Police, Olayinka Egbeyemi, said it was as a result of environmental nuisance being constituted by the traders.
According to him, “Illegal shanties constructed by these illegal traders who specialise on new/fairly used furniture along Oshodi to Mile 2 Expressway, particularly, around ‘Itire’ and ‘Ijesha’ area have now become an abode for criminals.
Residents around these areas can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed because of criminal activities being perpetuated by some miscreants and hoodlums who pretend to be new/fairly used furniture traders around Itire and Ijesha axis.
”Also residents living around Oshodi to Mile 2 areas have been warned to desist from dumping refuse on the median, road setbacks and walkways.”
Egbeyemi warned that anyone caught dumping refuse at undesignated spots would be charged to court for prosecution.
On the life jacket, speaking to journalists, Managing Director of LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the authority has intensified campaign to emphasize the use of life jackets by all waterways users.
He said the 1500 life jackets were distributed between 2017 and January 2018, noting that more would be distributed in the course of the year. He urged passengers to insist on life jackets before embarking on any journey on the water.
Emmanuel said aside the life jackets, the authority had embarked on sensitization at various state-owned jetties while, using electronic media to emphasize on safety measures to be adhered to by all waterways users.
LASWA boss added that to improve safety on the waterways, the authority with relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was working towards establishing an Emergency and Response Unit for the Inland waterways.
He said the Emergency and Response Unit would collaborate with the LASWA patrol team to respond to emergency cases on the waterways, while reminding ferry operators to strictly comply with safety guidelines.
