As open defecation continues along the median of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Ogun State Government says it will intensify efforts to clamp down on perpetrators of the act.
TheNigerian Metro correspondent who monitored activities along the Mowe-Ibafo-Kara-Berger areas of the expressway on Thursday observed that despite repeated warnings and enforcement actions by the Lagos and Ogun state governments, the median remained littered with faeces, raising public health concerns among residents.
TheNigerian Metro recalls that the Ogun State Government had promised to relocate traders at the Kara cattle market to curb the incessant open defecation along the expressway.
The state Ministry of Environment had, in August 2024, given traders a December 31, 2024, deadline to relocate to a new site in the Ogere area of the state.
However, checks by our correspondent on Thursday revealed that despite the government’s deadline, some traders were still operating in the Kara market.
Additionally, our correspondent observed that open defecation persists despite the presence of public toilets in the area.
A resident in the Magboro area of the expressway, Taofeeq Dada, told our correspondent that the daytime enforcement carried out by the government seemed ineffective, as most perpetrators defecate at night.
He stressed that crossing the median at night exposes residents to health risks due to the stench from the faeces.
He said, “I don’t think daytime monitoring is yielding results because, most times, the defecation happens at night.
“If you are not careful while crossing the median, you could step on the faeces or contract a disease because of the odour.”
Another commuter in the Kara area of the expressway, Jane Imoh, noted that open defecation had become a routine sight for both visitors and residents.
She urged the government to urgently relocate the market if it is serious about addressing the issue.
“The government knows what to do. We can’t deny that this market contributes to the problem of open defecation in this area. So, if they want to end it, let them relocate the market.”
A road user at the Berger end of the expressway, who identified herself simply as Omotara, attributed the issue to homelessness in the area.
She said, “The problem is caused by these homeless people who roam around here. You sometimes see them in broad daylight defecating in the median.”
When contacted on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Rotimi Oduniyi, stressed that the government would intensify efforts to monitor and clamp down on perpetrators.
He added that the government had not rescinded its decision to relocate traders from the Kara cattle market.
“We are still on course to move the traders away from there. All those whom you saw there are illegal occupants. We will relocate the Kara market.
“We are also going to reinforce our enforcement. We were there on Tuesday to monitor, and we spoke with the leaders of the Hausa and Yoruba groups. We will intensify our monitoring,” Oduniyi said.
Oduniyi urged residents to patronise public toilets to curb open defecation.
Meanwhile, efforts to get a reaction from the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Adekunle Adesina, proved abortive, as he had yet to respond to calls and messages sent to his phone on Thursday.
