LAGOS GOVT SEALS OVER 352 CHURCHES, MOSQUES, OTHERS
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The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, has sealed at least 352 establishments, including places of worship in the past year.
Due to environmental violations, including noise pollution, they were forced to close.
This was disclosed by Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, the General Manager of LASEPA, during his one-year report to the media on his stewardship.
According to Ajayi, “residents behave badly when it comes to following the rules.” They comply for a while after enforcement, but then they start acting out again, which is a big problem with noise pollution. They return to the same crime.
“Then we start the process again. The reason we have them to comply for a while is because they pay fines and we shut them down.
“There is no city in the world that does not leverage fines and penalties for violations. There must be consequences for actions.
“It’s not only Nigeria’s problem, is global. People tend to go back to bad behaviour.
“The use of microphones also at bus stops and religious houses are major concern. Even Christian worshippers come out with loudspeakers and microphones to preach in public.
“For noise pollution, the religious sector takes the highest because there is little or no control in terms of how you can set up religious houses going by our current regulations.
“It takes a strong-willed policy to have that in control. In Nigeria today some churches want to have two branches on a street or Mosques.
“We have had conversations with representatives of religious houses about why noise pollution is a bad idea and why they need to maintain less than 60 decibels for decorum during service, and the danger they are causing to the public as well as themselves. We do this engagement regularly.”
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