Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area in Lagos State is mulling prohibition of street trading and punishing of anyone who flouts the law.
This is as legislative arm of the municipal government proposed the enactment of bye-laws to regulate and imposed fines and penalties on street trading, environmental nuisance and other business activities in the council area.
The local legislators, popularly known as councillors, announced the development at a public hearing with stakeholders.
The stakeholders include leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), traditional rulers, market and community leaders, artisans, representatives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), members of the defunct National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), religious leaders and the council management staff, on Thursday, at the council secretariat, Airways road, Ijesha, Lagos.
Speaking on the proposed bills, the Leader of the legislative arm, Hon. Hammed Oladipupo Idris said the bye-laws are landmark efforts of the present council’s administration at ensuring good governance and effective applications of the rule of law.
According to him, the proposed bills contained different rules, regulations and various degrees of fines and penalties on violations and issues bordering on environmental sanitation, radio and television license issuance, pub and entertainment permits, regulation on markets and street trading, car wash amendment and regulation, shop permit, ware-house permit, among others.
In his remarks, the council chairman, Hon. Dr Ahmed Olanrewaju Apatira reiterated that in the third tier of government, the local council is empowered to make bye-laws for the smooth administration of their jurisdiction.
Speaking on the importance of the proposed bye-laws, Apatira said the bills will empower the government to provide basic amenities for the people.
He stated further that the bills will also boost revenue generation of the government to meet up with its responsibilities to the citizenry.
According to him, the priority of his administration is to develop the council area in line with the Greater Lagos vision of the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He said, “The issue of vast growth and development for the good people of Itire-Ikate LCDA is of top priority to him. I, therefore, appeal to residents to join hands in the development of the council as governance is a collective responsibility.”