Noise pollution: Lagos shuts down 70 churches, 20 mosques
(Nigeria) The Lagos State Government has shutdown 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours in a move aimed at reducing noise in the state.
Mr Bola Shabi, the General Manager, Lagos State
Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, made this known in an interview in
Lagos on Wednesday.
Shabi said that henceforth, the state government would no
longer allow make-shift buildings to be used as places of worship.
``Precisely about 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11
hotels, club houses and beer parlours were shut and we’ve given them some
directives to follow. We’ve been so strict now that we are not going to even
allow make-shift churches in the state any longer. What I mean by make-shift,
using tents and uncompleted building we are not going to allow the any further
in the state.
``But I will strongly tell you that the level of compliance
is more on the mosque area, because immediately you shut them, they instantly
bring down their speakers or reduce the noise they make.’’
Shabi said that LASEPA planned to reduce noise in the state
to 70 per cent and to zero per cent by the year 2020.
``As at today, we are only able to reduce the noise level to
about 35 per cent. That is not a pass mark yet. So, until we reach that target
of 70 to 80 per cent, we will continue the enforcement.
``Enforcement is a continuous exercise and we have set a
target for ourselves. We want to ensure that Lagos is noise-free by the year
2020. With our status as a mega city, by year 2020 we will be free of noise,’’
he said.
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