By Michael Olatunji
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts has arrested 31 street traders for hawking on the street and displaying their goods in unauthorized places within the Lagos Island Business District.
The 31 persons arrested in different locations in Balogun Street, Martins Street, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Tom Jones and Broad Streets were arraigned before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile Court) sitting in Alausa Ikeja.
The offenders who where arrested by operatives of the enforcement unit of the Office of the Special Adviser on Central Business districts were arraigned under Chief Magistrate Mrs Obasa Shakirat for committing an offence contrary to the Environmental Management and Protection Law of Lagos State 2017.
Their charge was read by the court and they all pleaded guilty as charged and begged the magistrate to tamper justice with mercy. The Magistrate in her ruling fined 30 of the offenders N20,000 each or an option to serve a jail term of one month in a correction centre. One of the offender was however to serve one hour community service due to the leniency of the magistrate. They where all remanded at the Ebute Ero Police Station pending their ability to fulfill their bail conditions or acceptance of option of imprisonment.
Speaking on the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Mr Olugbenga Olarenwaju Oyerinde noted that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu is passionate about cleanliness of the environment and have directed CBD officials to clamp down on all violators of environmental sanitation, traffic and physical planning laws in the State.
He again reiterated the determination of the present administration led by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to restore the original master plan of the Lagos Island Business Districts and its adjourning axis by checking the activities of street traders and developers who have converted all available spaces like walkways, streets and roads to shops.
Mr. Oyerinde called on traders especially those selling on the streets and walkways to remove their extensions and makeshift shops from the roads immediately as no one will be spared in the present efforts to clean up the business district.