Oyo shuts 7 shops, arraign 21 for flouting environmental law

Oyo State government has arraigned 21 people before the Environmental Tribunal Court sitting at the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and shut seven shops at Ojoo market for flouting the environmental sanitation law in the state.

Those arrested, who were charged for offences ranging from dumping of refuse on the road median, displaying wares under high tension cables, engaging in street trading and obstructing the environmental enforcement team, were consequently fined between N5,000 and N25,000.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Isaac Ishola, recently gave the shutdown order while monitoring the weekly environmental sanitation exercise within Ibadan metropolis.

Speaking through the Director, Environmental Health Services, Mr. Olusoji Oyewole, the commissioner expressed displeasure about the poor sanitary level of Ojoo market which he attributed to the negligence of some shop owners.

He noted that despite the concertede fforts of the present administration in ensuring a healthy and safe environment, some people were still recalcitrant to the clean environment policy.

Mr. Ishola therefore warned traders, shop owners, motorists and the public to desist from violating the environmental sanitation law, saying that the rainy season was fast approaching and all hands must be on deck to ensure that there was no flooding in the state.