The Executive Director and CEO of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board (LITFCMB) on Badagry Expressway, Barr Vera Ndanusa has introduced a new team of environmental officers charged with the responsibility of sweeping the complex main roads.
The sweepers mainly women were seen sweeping the dusty roads in the complex and packaging their collected wastes in bags which are dropped at strategic points along the roads for easy evacuation by LAWMA compactor trucks.
Lagos State Government had towards the end of last year, shut down the complex on charges of environmental sanitation contraventions.
Speaking with some of the sweepers, whereas they expressed happiness for their new job, they however, called for safety materials including face masks, protective wears and boots as they were seen with only reflective jackets on duty.
Some of them also said there is a serious need for reconstructing the complex ring-road as sweeping a largely bad road does not add up or make good meaning.
When Business Hilights visited the Office of the LITFCMB’s chief executive, Barr Ndanusa for comments yesterday, Tuesday, efforts to reach her failed upon calls and sms sent to her phone that we are at her reception.
However, when our crew was about to leave, one of her aides on Social Media who identified himself as Abdul said the essence of setting up the environmental arm of the complex is to maintain cleanliness, adding that the road sweeping will continue on a daily basis for now.
However, our correspondent could not go further in interviewing him on the development because he may not know much as that was not part of his job specification.
It would be recalled the complex CEO, had during the ASPMDA End of the Year Praise Jamz, hinted that her administration will from this year introduce strategic reforms to grow ease of doing business.
Some business owners in the complex who spoke to our media crew on the road sweeping scheme by the complex management though welcomed the idea, but queried the rationale in sweeping a grossly bad road and raising dusts capable of causing bad health conditions. They therefore called for immediate reconstruction of the complex ring road so as to make the sweeping meaningful.
In a telephone interview with a top official of the Federal Ministry of Trade, Investment and Commerce, the parent ministry managing the complex who is also a senior director, who pleaded anonymity, the official said the target of the Minister, Dr Doris Uzoka on Lagos Trade Fair complex is to grow ease of doing business and sanity.