Strong indications emerged late Monday evening revealing that business owners at the shut Lagos International Trade Fair complex on Badagry Expressway may have to wait for another day (today) before the market would be reopened.
Recall that the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) had on Sunday, October 22, 2023 locked down all market gates in the over 60 trading plazas in the complex on grounds of contraventions against state sanitation laws of 2017.
Besides, Business Hilights gathered from the Director, Public Affairs of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, that the agency carried out the directive given by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
”Following the directives of Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, HC MOE&WR, LAWMA Sunday 22nd October, 2023, shut ASPAMDA, BBA and other markets within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
“The enforcement was carried out by officials of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in partnership with Lagos Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offenses and Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) for poor waste disposal practices, non-payment for waste disposal and general environmental sanitation infractions
However, on arrival at the complex on Monday and seeing the locks, this prompted the lead umbrella body, the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association (TFSA) led by the current APT President, Chief Eric Illechukwku to lead a peaceful protest match to the Trade Fair Management Board (TFMB) Executive Director, Barr. Mrs. Veronica Ndanusa yesterday.
Addressing the TFMB, Chief Ilechukwu made it clear that no notification was issued ahead of the closure of the market and called on the TFMB to resolve the matter with the Lagos State Government as soon as possible.
Also speaking, the Chairman of ASPMDA BOT, Chief Daniel Oforkansi displayed documents showing payment up-to-date on LAWMA charges to the TFMB even as the President of Africa Tyre Village, Alhaji Isah Mohammed decried the wrong believe by either the government of Lagos State or others that Trade fair is all about Igbo businesses.
In his words, “This complex is peopled by business owners from all parts of the country including neighbouring countries and not only Igbos. Am a Yorubaman and the president of Africa Tyre Village, the largest tyre market in Africa today here in trade fair. So this is an international market.
He therefore called on the government to consider the bad economic situation and reopen the market.
Responding, Barr. Ndanusa expressed dismay over alleged non-issuance of notification before sealing the market and assured of meeting with both LAWMA and the Commissioner for the Environment.
However, late in the evening yesterday, news filtered in that the meeting with LAWMA could not yield to the request of traders on the immediate reopening of the market, rather it was agreed that a letter containing conditions of reopening the market would be delivered Tuesday morning to the TFMB latest by 10.00AM while the market remains shut. This means that stakeholders should again, gather at the TFMB to know the reopening terms Tuesday morning.
Already, there are fears that trade fair youths, who protested peacefully on Monday may not be easily contained on Tuesday if the market continued to remain under lock and keys.
But in an exclusive chat, the stakeholders’ boss, Chief Ilechukwu said his leadership will continue to call for calm amongst the youths while his executives resolve the matter with the TFMB as soon as possible.
