The Babaloja of Oje Eleso at Oje Market, Kamorudeen Hammed Olaosebikan, has appealed to the Oyo State Government to provide additional waste containers and evacuation trucks to address mounting sanitation challenges within the market.
Speaking during an interview with IbadanCity ANNOUNCER, the market leader revealed that the busy commercial hub currently operates with only one waste container, describing it as grossly inadequate for the scale of daily trading activities at Oje Market.
According to him, the situation presents serious environmental and public health concerns for both traders and customers who frequent the historic Ibadan marketplace.
Alhaji Olaosebikan noted that the volume of refuse generated daily far exceeds the capacity of the single waste container provided, leading to overflow and delays in evacuation.
He, however, commended the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde for previous support, disclosing that the market only began paying for waste disposal services 11 months ago.
“Until 11 months ago, we didn’t pay for the trucks that come to carry our wastes since Seyi Makinde emerged as the Oyo State Governor,” he stated.
The Babaloja further disclosed that the market currently pays ₦150,000 monthly to the Oyo State Ministry of Environment for waste evacuation services.
Despite the payments, he urged the ministry to intensify efforts toward timely and regular refuse evacuation to prevent environmental hazards.
“Although we pay ₦150,000 to the Ministry of Environment monthly, we urge them to intensify their efforts and ensure timely evacuation of wastes,” he said.
Beyond additional waste trucks and containers, the market leader also appealed for the provision of proper waste storage facilities to manage refuse before evacuation. He stressed that structured sanitation infrastructure would significantly reduce accumulation and improve overall cleanliness within the market.
He concluded that strengthening waste management systems at Oje Market would not only protect public health but also enhance the trading environment and preserve the market’s reputation as one of Ibadan’s longstanding commercial centres.
