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The Kwara State government has issued a stern warning to traders against environmental pollution and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in markets, emphasising the importance of maintaining a clean and green environment to safeguard public health.
Hajia Idayat Folorunsho, the Acting General Manager of the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), made the statement during the routine environmental exercise in major markets in Ilorin, the state capital.
Represented by the Chief Environmental Officer, Yunusa Jida, Hajia Folorunsho highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure a healthy environment but stressed that traders must play their part by adhering to sanitary measures and ensuring proper waste disposal in the markets.
“Markets are crucial points where people come to buy foodstuffs and groceries, making it essential to keep these areas clean to prevent the outbreak of diseases,” she said.
She also urged traders to refrain from dumping refuse indiscriminately and to avoid practices that attract pests, such as flies, to curb the risk of pandemics and other preventable diseases.
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Folorunsho emphasised that all traders and shop owners must observe the mandatory Thursday weekly sanitation exercise, which runs from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., as mandated by the State Ministry of Environment.
She warned that any violations of the state’s environmental laws would result in appropriate sanctions.
The KWEPA team, led by Yunusa Jida, conducted inspections in major markets including Itamadu, Maraba, Ipata, and Oja-Oba, ensuring that environmental laws were adhered to during the sanitation exercise.
