Demolished Shanties Harbour Criminals, Ogun Govt Explains

 

Officials of the Ogun state Ministry of Environment at work

ABEOKUTA - Ogun state government has explained that the destroyed shanties along Lagos-Ibadan expressway were harboring criminals disguising as traders during daytime and perpetuating nefarious activities at night.

The government said it destroyed the shanties which were illegally erected thereby constituting environmental nuisances along the Ogun state corridor.

The flag-off of the demolition exercise took place at Kara, OPIC axis of Isheri in Obafemi-Owode local government of the state.

Speaking on the demolition exercise, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Farouk Akintunde said the state government embarked on the demolition after several warnings and abatement notices served to the owners of the shanties who are mostly traders to vacate all the road setbacks and move to formally recognized markets proved abortive.

"The state government will not fold its arms and watch these shanties deface the aesthetic beauty of the state which is the gateway to many states of the federation. 

"These structures are not only an eyesore, they harbor criminals who disguise as traders during daytime but perpetuate their nefarious activities in the night".

"Aside from these, the genuine traders among them sell in a filthy environment which breeds rodents and vectors which have adverse health implications on those that patronize them especially unsuspecting commuters to the state who desire to have quickly fixed meals" Akintunde submitted.

He, therefore, advised genuine traders among them to move to formally recognized markets that have enough spaces to accommodate them saying the state government is desirous of not only destroying shanties in the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway axis but throughout the state as all road setbacks in the state will soon wear a new look that befits the status of the Gateway state.

He warned that anyone of them caught re-erecting his or her shanties in the cleared areas will face the wrath of the law.