The Ogun State Government has demolished all shanties and other makeshift structures located under the bridge at Akute as well as by the fence of Zumuratul Primary School in the area.
The state government also warned traditional rulers not to abuse their position by illegally allocating spaces in their domain to traders for commercial gains.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Alhaji Farook Akintunde, gave the warning when he led the state Taskforce on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement to demolish all the shanties and makeshift structures in the area.
Akintunde said the demolition became necessary following a petition sent to the state government by the Anigilage Community Association and the management of Zumuratul Primary School on the illegal allocation of the spaces at the Akute Underbridge and by the walls of school.
The allocation and the activities of the traders according to him exposed the residents of the community to avoidable danger while the students of the schools faced untold hardship through noise pollution and unnecessary distraction.
“Aside from the environmental nuisances which they create, no government will fold its hands and watch a traditional ruler illegally allocate setbacks and open spaces to traders instead of him directing them to government designated markets for selfish gains”.
“That the wall of the fence of Zumuratul Primary School was even allocated despite knowing that serene atmosphere is needed for learning is not only bad but it constituted an affront to state government’s policies of effective learning environment”.
“So the state government had no other choice than to restore the environmental and learning dignity of the area by demolishing all the shanties and makeshift structures,” Akintunde said.
He warned the displaced traders not to go back to the recovered spaces as Environmental Marshals had been charged to apprehend anyone caught.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Mrs Kikelomo Delano thanked the state government for heeding the call of the Community Development Association and that of the primary school. She pledged that the local council would enforce the no-trading order in the affected places.
