Environment
SOME religious leaders on Tuesday urged Lagos State Government to create more awareness of its regulations against noise pollution to enhance compliance.
The religious leaders told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that many religious houses as well as residents in Lagos had yet to be aware of the regulations and could err unintentionally.
NAN reports that Lagos State Guidelines on Noise Pollution provide among other things that the standard approved noise level in residential areas shall not exceed 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night.
The state also directed that all religious houses, club houses and other entertainment outlets should operate within enclosed and soundproof environments with regulated use of speakers, giving due consideration to neighbours.
According to the government, the above facilities shall equally reduce the number of internally-placed speakers to the barest minimum to address only the congregation and clientele and not the neighborhood.
Some religious houses in the state have been sanctioned for contravening the regulations.
In March 2024, at least, five churches were sealed for contravening the regulations.
Similarly, a number of hotels and bars were sanctioned for offending.
Archbishop Joseph Ojo, the General Overseer of Calvary Kingdom Church Okokomaiko, Lagos State, said on Tuesday that more enlightenment would enable more compliance with the regulations.
“I don’t think I have a clear knowledge of the regulatory law yet; so, it is not easy for me to make any comment on it,” he said.
Similarly, the Presiding Pastor of the Spoken Word, Ojo, Pastor Chris Nmezie, said that he did not have adequate understanding of the guidelines.
Nmezie said that churches would want to obey state laws and should be properly enlightened on the regulations.
“Those that have fallen victims of the regulations might have been caught in the web of ignorance and should be given a soft-landing,” he said.
The Founder of the Holy Fountain Church, Ipaja, Babatunde Okeyomi, said that although the state had been enforcing the regulations for years, many residents were still unaware of them.
He appealed for more enlightenment about the regulations. (NAN)
2nd July, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: noise pollution
