Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday debunked the allegation in certain sections of the media that some parts of the Ladipo Market in Mushin Local Government area have been demolished and put under lock and key.

The Executive Secretary of Mushin Local Government, Jide Bello in a statement, said business activities went on at the Ladipo market yesterday unhindered and that the traders were at their stalls carrying out their business transactions.

He said that the Local Government decided to redevelop the market which had become an eyesore due to the unwholesome activities of some of the traders and the degradation of the surrounding which did not fit into the mega city plans of the State.

The Executive Secretary said the Mushin Local Government intended to undertake the development of the market in phases and because of that, had not collected any form of rentage from the traders in the market since the beginning of 2015.

According to him, the authorities of the Mushin Local Government convened several meetings with the leaders of the various associations in the market towards ensuring that the private developer commence the phased development but that it was evident from the body language of the leaders that they were buying time and trying to frustrate the plan of the Local Council to redevelop the market.

Bello said there would be no going back on the decision of the council to redevelop the Ladipo market to meet the mega city status of Lagos, assuring all traders in the market that Mushin remains a home for all of them.

He, however, said due process was followed in the decision of the Local Government to redevelop the market, urging the traders to operate within the ambit of the law.