Traders in the Oshodi market area of Lagos State have lamented the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the market, stating that it has slowed down business opportunities and put them at risk of diseases.
Some of the traders, who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, lamented that random persons were responsible for the heaps of refuse, and efforts made to get the government to intervene had not yielded any result.
A trader, Funke Abidogun, said that the waste had affected individuals and businesses in the area, lamenting that no effort had been made by the government to clean the area.
Abidogun said, “The huge amount of refuse has affected individuals and businesses in diverse ways. The odour from the waste has led to diseases and toilet infections.
“People intentionally dispose of dirt in the area because of the quantity of dirt they see daily, including non-residents of Oshodi who visit the market for the sole purpose of dumping their waste.
“The individuals in charge of sweeping the area also dispose of their waste in the big truck of dirt instead of properly disposing the dirt into the waste bin.”
She further stressed that the presence of the refuse often deterred customers from patronising her goods due to the bad odour emanating from the dirt.
“Customers have refused to buy goods from us due to the oozing scent in the environment. Lives have not been affected gravely, but individuals have contracted one or two illnesses due to the danger of the waste being dumped in the area.” She concluded.
Another trader identified simply as Oyewole said the dumpsite has affected businesses and the health of individuals who reside and ply their goods in the area.
In her words, “The waste truck really stinks, but we traders can do nothing about it. It has affected our businesses due to the fact that customers are unable to wait and purchase goods from us.
“We always use Ampiclox to help us stay immune from diseases and the effects the waste might cause. I cannot really say if customers are affected by it, but they always cover their noses while walking. Individuals come from different locations to dump their waste in the area.” Oyewole said.
When contacted, the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos Waste Management Authority, Folashade Kadiri, described the situation as the handwork of the traders and residents in the area. She noted that there is an urgent need for citizens to take responsibility for their actions.
“People create the mess due to a lack of love for the environment. The media should sensitise the people concerning the proper disposition of waste because it is what we give the environment returns.
“Government has done its part, and the government expects us to do our parts. We have people who do not want to pay for waste.
“Parents should take up their responsibilities to sensitise their children at home concerning the disposal of waste and waste management.
“Individuals do not want to pay for Private Sector Partnership operators, as this is a contributing factor to the heap of dirt.
“There is a LAWMA academy for children currently where they learn waste management at a young age. The older generation has failed, the government does not want the younger generation to follow the trend.
She said that the agency will take necessary action to clear the refuse dump in the area.
“In less than 24 hours, the refuse will be cleared. The population of Lagos increases on a daily basis, citizens should always buy what they need. The operations department will be contacted immediately, and further development will be communicated,” she concluded.
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