Eid-el-Kabir: Lagos warns against sale of rams on highways

The Lagos State Government has warned traders against displaying and selling rams and other livestock on highways and road medians during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the Ministry’s Commissioner, Wahab, gave the warning during a media parley held in his office in Alausa ahead of the festival.

The statement noted that Wahab reminded residents that the law prohibiting street trading remained in force across the state.

“While it is not unusual for traders to take advantage of the season to market and sell livestock animals, it must be done without defacing the state or compromising the wellness and well-being of Lagosians,” he said.

He also appealed to Muslim faithfuls to properly dispose of waste generated during the celebrations by bagging them appropriately and depositing them at designated points for evacuation by the Lagos Waste Management Authority.

“The state government remains responsible for enlightening residents on the need to demonstrate utmost love for their environment even as they celebrate the Eid,” Wahab said.

He assured Lagosians that the ministry and LAWMA were still committed to ensuring that refuse heaps were eliminated across the state.

According to him, environmental sustainability and socio-economic wellbeing can only be achieved when residents maintain proper sanitation practices.

The commissioner stressed that the government would not tolerate the display and sale of rams or other livestock on major highways, road medians, lay-bys, gardens, and parks.

He also warned against other environmental infractions such as erecting illegal stalls, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and maintaining unsanitary surroundings.

“Let me restate government’s resolve to firmly apply regulatory and enforcement measures against contraventions of environmental laws and regulations. I enjoin residents to voluntarily comply with the extant state environmental laws,” Wahab added.

He urged residents to make use of parks, gardens, and relaxation centres across the state during the celebrations while avoiding activities capable of negatively affecting the environment.

He concluded by urging residents to maintain a cleaner environment during the festive period, stressing that the state government remained committed to environmental sustainability and public wellbeing.

PUNCH Online reported on Monday that ram selling activities at the Kara market along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Sunday left motorists stranded for several hours.

The traffic situation, which reportedly began building up on Saturday, worsened significantly on Sunday as buyers, traders and transporters struggled to gain access to the market.