Cross River clamps down on illegal structures in the state
The Cross River State Government has clamped down on illegal structures in the state.
Demolishing illegal stalls erected on drainage channels at Marian Market and other areas in Calabar metropolis, the state capital.
The state also warned the traders against violating rules and regulations of environmental sanitation adding that markets failing to meet hygiene standards risk immediate closure.
The enforcement exercise, led by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Moses John Osogi, described the exercise as very important gesture.
He said the directives have been issued to traders to vacate drainage corridors and maintain cleaner surroundings.
According to Osogi, the government had repeatedly engaged traders since last year, urging them to stop blocking waterways and to dispose of refuse properly.
However, he said the level of environmental degradation discovered during the routine sanitation exercise prompted immediate action.
Addressing traders during the operation, Osogi said, “We came for routine sanitation and what we saw compelled us to do a post-sanitation exercise here.”
He lamented the deteriorating condition of the market, adding, “The market has become an eyesore. They are selling on top of waste and pouring waste into the gutter. That is what is causing the floods, yet when it rains, it is the government that they will blame.”
The commissioner immediately declared a full-day sanitation exercise within the market and directed all traders to suspend business activities until the premises are thoroughly cleaned.
He Warned the traders against future violations, he said: “If they do not clean their market space, nobody is selling in Marian Market. I will replicate the same in other markets, even on ordinary days. If your market is not tidy, you won’t sell.”
He further maintained that traders had no justification for occupying roads and drainage channels because, according to him, there are empty shops inside the market.
He urged business owners to relocate into available spaces to reduce congestion and allow floodwaters to flow freely.
Also speaking during the exercise, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon. Patrick Egbede, expressed concern over the unhygienic conditions in which food items were being displayed for sale.
Describing the situation as alarming, Egbede stated, “What I have seen here can cause disease. You don’t buy what you want to eat and it will cause infections for you. This is about your health, not government.”
Osogi reminded traders that the state’s sanitation regulations require all markets to remain closed between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on the days of monthly environmental sanitation.
He disclosed that surprise inspections would now become a regular feature across markets in the state.
The enforcement exercise also led to the arrest of more than 30 sanitation offenders, who were subsequently arraigned before the mobile court for prosecution, as the government reiterated its determination to restore cleanliness, improve public health and reduce flooding across Cross River State.
