In an attempt to reduce the number of accidents that occur at the Sango Tollgate, the Ogun State Government has removed temporary buildings and shanties that were placed along the road setback at the border between Ogun and Lagos State.
The drill, which took place on Tuesday, focused on improvised structures and illegal roadside booths that were thought to be impeding traffic and causing frequent accidents in the neighborhood.
Speaking during the demolition, Kafayat Lawal, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, stated that the move came after a number of letters and warnings were sent to the traders residing in the impacted regions.
She clarified that the government has previously worked with the street sellers and given them a different place to trade.
Lawal said that displaced vendors had been moved to a specific location on Plaza Road in Sango, emphasizing that the action was taken to protect people and put an end to street trading near the tollgate.
She said that the presence of vendors beneath the bridge and along the road had grown to be a serious safety risk.
“The exercise will free the tollgate and under-bridge from street trading, which frequently results in fatalities when there are mishaps around the area, which has become a source of worry to the state government and well-meaning Nigerians,” she stated.
The permanent secretary emphasized that actions that jeopardize public safety will not be accepted by the administration.
Lawal cautioned that dealers would be subject to severe legal repercussions if they returned to the tollgate or under-bridge locations.
She encouraged them to use the newly created market, which was created in cooperation with the Olota-in-Council and the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, to carry on their activities in a more organized and safe setting.
