The Ogun State Government has suspended trading and other non-sporting activities at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta from Wednesday, September 13, 2017.

It also ordered all traders and shop owners within the premises to move out their valuables before the said date.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, who made this known while reading the communique at the end of a meeting with traders at the stadium complex and security chiefs in his office on Thursday, disclosed that all stakeholders agreed that social vices such as teenage prostitution, drug trafficking as well as noise and environmental pollutions, had assumed an alarming dimension, which must be tackled head-on.

The state scribe also announced the constitution of a Joint Task Force, comprising the traders, security agencies and government, saddled with the responsibility of finding lasting solutions to the trend.

According to him, the complex would be reopened to trading and non-sporting activities as soon as the Task Force fashions out ways of solving the identified problems.

“We all agreed that problems at the stadium have become unacceptable and must be immediately addressed. In the mean time, we have all also agreed that all non-sporting activities be suspended in the stadium with effect from Wednesday, 13th September, pending the decisions of the Joint Task Force,” Adeoluwa said.

He assured the traders that government was mindful of the fact that they earn their living from the facility and as such would not subject them to any undue hardship.

Some traders, who spoke, including Messrs Sofela Sodunke, Rasak Olalekan and Lateef Babatunde expressed delight at the meeting and pledged their readiness to cooperate with government to restore normalcy and decency to the stadium.

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