Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Chairman of Epe Local Government Area, Surah Animashaun, calls on traders at Aiyetoro and Oluwo fish markets to improve sanitation standards, warning that unhygienic practices pose serious public health risks.
Animashaun issued the warning during an inspection tour of major market hubs in Epe on Saturday, as concerns grow over waste disposal and roadside trading in densely populated commercial areas.
“Clean markets are essential to protecting public health, particularly in fish markets where waste must be properly managed,” the council chair says.
She cautions that poor sanitation creates breeding grounds for communicable diseases, stressing that refuse must be disposed of through approved channels and not dumped indiscriminately around stalls and drainage systems.
The council chair urges traders to carry out regular cleaning of their stalls and immediate surroundings, describing environmental hygiene as a shared civic responsibility.
“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our markets safe, healthy and orderly,” Animashaun says.
She warns that the local government will strictly enforce existing environmental regulations, including penalties for traders who flout sanitation laws.
Animashaun assures market operators that the council remains committed to supporting cleanliness through the provision of waste disposal facilities and routine environmental monitoring.
Beyond hygiene, the council boss raises safety concerns over roadside trading, particularly along the busy Aiyetoro market corridor, where several traffic accidents have been recorded.
“Traders must stop selling by the roadside to prevent avoidable accidents and loss of lives,” she says.
The inspection forms part of broader efforts by the Epe Local Government to improve market regulation, environmental health and road safety across the area.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Korede Abdullah 
Oluwatobi Adu