Env. Ministry Begins Distilling Exercise as Sanitation Team Demolishes Market, Roadside Stalls to Protect CRS Tourism Status
Hannah ARIKPO
The October 2026 Sanitation Exercise witnessed chaos and confusion the moment the Environmental Sanitation team stormed the eight miles market a.k.a Testimony market for the routine monthly exercise.
The enforcement team demolished stalls and upturned wares displayed along the Murtala Mohammed highway
The traders were found selling along the road after paying huge amounts to some fraudsters disguised as market agents from the local government Councils to construct stalls
on the drainage, thereby blocking the drains.
However, the 8Miles market Leader and some traders expressed joy at the operation carried out by the Sanitation team, saying,"There is so much space inside the market to accommodate and enable traders carry out their businesses without violating environmental regulations."
Speaking, the Cross River Commissioner of Environment, Bar. Bassey Offiong Mensah, emphasised that the government will not compromise standards set to sustain the Clean and Green status of the state. He explained, the eight miles axis of the metropolis is the only major entrance into Calabar, Capital of Cross River State a tourism destination, "hence, we have to guide against any abnormalities."
Mensah who led the Calabar Municipal monitoring and supervision team announced the immediate desilting of the drainage system of the entire eight miles market and vowed to intensify enforcement of the ban on street trading in the area.
The Environment Boss, expressed concern over the plight of the affected traders and advised them to always verify from their Market Unions and the ministry before making payment of any kind.
"It is sad, a group of persons decided to shun the government directive, lay planks on the drainage for traders to transact business along the road. This persons defrauded innocent traders under the pretext of remitting revenue to the local government area. We will not allow people to do things their own way, we are not in a lawless society." Mensah stated.
The team also demolished illegal structures along the Calabar International Conference Centre (CCIC) while commercial activities were banned at the Army junction, Ikot Effanga area.
On the other hand, the General Manager, Calabar Waste Management Agency and Leader of the Calabar South Sanitation Monitoring team, Hon Bassey Otudor noted that although this month's Sanitation exercise coincided with the annual Marathon competition in the state, the exercise recorded high compliance among residents of the atea.
According to him, no arrests were made as enforcement was focused on markets and shops which were operating during sanitation hours.
