Lagos to clamp down on noise pollution by religious centres and industries

Lagos to clamp down on noise pollution by
religious centres and industries
The Lagos State Governor Babatunde
Fashola is to meet with religious leaders
to address the rate of noise pollution in
the state following increasing numbers of
petitions against noise from religious
centres.
The General Manager of the Lagos State
Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Mr.
Rasheed Shabi, stated this at Amuwo Odofin
Local Government over the weekend during the
inauguration of the campaign against pollution,
especially noise in the state with a major focus
on the grassroots.
He lamented that noise pollution had been
giving the state government serious concern,
saying the agency receives between 10 and 15
petitions on noise pollution daily.
According to Mr Shabi, “Governor Fashola will in
the next few weeks invite the league of Imams
and church leaders to his office to address noise
pollution in the state.
“We need to know how many religious houses
we have in every local government. The local
governments should be able to meet with these
religious bodies twice in a year to stem noise
pollution.”
He noted that it is not right for religious centres
to be opened in residential areas, saying “You
cannot open mosques and churches in
residential areas and disturb others; we can’t
take that. We want to work with you to curb
this.”
“Excessive exposure to noise can lead to
deafness and eyes defect” he added.
Buildings of religious centres in Nigeria are
always characterised by loud speakers that
enable able them to propagate their gospel to
the environs, to the chagrin of residents.
Mr Shabi enjoined the local council authority to
enlighten the people about the laws of the state
on noise pollution. “The Local Government
should call all these people together and use the
language they understand to pass the message
across to them. You have the responsibility to
mobilise your people and tell them what the
government wants” he stated.
Industrial pollution and e-waste
The Environmental Protection Agency boss
further explained that LASEPA was using the
campaign to strengthen its collaboration with 57
councils in the state to combat industrial and
noise pollution.
The LASEPA boss told Amuwo Odofin council
officials led by the Secretary to the local
government, Shade Ajao, and the Manager,
Segun Ajao, that Fashola had directed the
agency to partner with councils in the state to
curb industrial and noise pollution.
“Pollution has been a problem to the state.
Close to 60 per cent of pollution comes from the
over 3, 000 industries we have in the state” he
said.
“In Amuwo-Odofin, we have close to 300
industries. Also, there are about 33 water
receiving points in the state and all are highly
polluted. We need to give out a cleaner
environment to the next generation.”
Shabi urged the councils to sensitise the people
on the danger of indiscriminate dumping of e-
waste.
“The way you dispose solid waste is different
from the way you dispose e-waste. A television
set contains lots of chemicals that are
dangerous to health.
“E-waste is killing lots of people gradually. Meet
with people selling generators, television sets
and other electronic gadgets and sensitise them
on the danger of e-waste,” he said.

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