The Ogun State Waste Management Authority has warned market leaders and traders across the state to stop turning markets into illegal dumpsites or risk having such markets shut down in the interest of public health.A statement made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday stated that the agency said indiscriminate waste disposal within markets poses serious environmental and health risks and would no longer be tolerated.It noted that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environmental Protection and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, gave the warning after the evacuation of long-standing waste dumps at the Farmers’ Market on Solu Road, Ifo, and Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.According to Akintunde, market leaders must ensure that traders dispose of waste only at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors.He said, “The practice whereby market leaders allow waste to be dumped indiscriminately within markets instead of ensuring that it is deposited at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors is unacceptable. It constitutes environmental pollution and poses serious health hazards within the markets.“Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. A statement made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday stated that the agency said indiscriminate waste disposal within markets poses serious environmental and health risks and would no longer be tolerated.It noted that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environmental Protection and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, gave the warning after the evacuation of long-standing waste dumps at the Farmers’ Market on Solu Road, Ifo, and Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.According to Akintunde, market leaders must ensure that traders dispose of waste only at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors.He said, “The practice whereby market leaders allow waste to be dumped indiscriminately within markets instead of ensuring that it is deposited at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors is unacceptable. It constitutes environmental pollution and poses serious health hazards within the markets.“Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. It noted that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environmental Protection and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, gave the warning after the evacuation of long-standing waste dumps at the Farmers’ Market on Solu Road, Ifo, and Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.According to Akintunde, market leaders must ensure that traders dispose of waste only at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors.He said, “The practice whereby market leaders allow waste to be dumped indiscriminately within markets instead of ensuring that it is deposited at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors is unacceptable. It constitutes environmental pollution and poses serious health hazards within the markets.“Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. According to Akintunde, market leaders must ensure that traders dispose of waste only at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors.He said, “The practice whereby market leaders allow waste to be dumped indiscriminately within markets instead of ensuring that it is deposited at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors is unacceptable. It constitutes environmental pollution and poses serious health hazards within the markets.“Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. He said, “The practice whereby market leaders allow waste to be dumped indiscriminately within markets instead of ensuring that it is deposited at designated collection points for evacuation by government-licensed waste collectors is unacceptable. It constitutes environmental pollution and poses serious health hazards within the markets.“Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. “Apart from this, heaps of waste expose food items sold in these markets to contamination, which could result in food poisoning and other health challenges for residents.Related NewsPolice arrest 43 suspects in fresh Ogun raidPolice seek family of 83-year-old man found in LagosPolice arrest three women over sale of four-year-old for N2m in Anambra“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. “Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not serve as havens for illegal waste dumps. Markets are public places where people purchase food and other consumables. Exposing such items to waste is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. The MD added that the state government would not allow the actions of a few traders and market leaders to endanger public health, especially after sustained engagement by the agency on proper waste management.“The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. “The state government will not fold its arms and allow a few market leaders and traders to expose residents to avoidable health risks because of their careless attitude to waste disposal.“This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. “This should not be happening, particularly after OGWAMA’s continuous engagement with market leaders across the state on the importance of proper waste management and evacuation,” he added.He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public. He further urged the leadership of the affected markets to ensure proper sanitation and warned that the government would not tolerate a return to indiscriminate waste disposal after the recent clean-up exercise, adding that any market found reverting to the old practice of illegal waste dumping would be shut down in the interest of the public.