The Lagos State government has taken action to seal certain sections of Alaba International Market and Trade Fair Market due to reported sanitation issues. Traders arriving at the markets on Monday were surprised to find that they were denied access by officials from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). In Alaba International Market, the electronics, fancy, and furniture sections were sealed.
The Trade Fair Market was also affected, with the sealing taking place the day before. One vendor, known as Gift, mentioned that they recorded the sealing of the market but received no response until the following day when they were locked out.
While no prior notice was given, it was reported that certain sections of the Trade Fair Market, like Balogun, were in a particularly dirty state, although not all sections faced the same issues.
LAWMA, in conjunction with the Lagos State Task Force and @LAGESCOfficial, took this action based on directives from the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab. The market was found to be in violation of various waste management guidelines, including improper waste disposal, the absence of designated waste disposal points, a lack of waste receptacles for proper containment, and inadequate drainage systems. Despite previous warnings to comply with these regulations, the market authorities did not take corrective action, leading to the sealing of the markets.
