Noise Pollution: 53 Churches, Mosques, Hotels Shut In Lagos

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

At least 53 churches, mosques and hotels have been shut over noise pollution and environmental nuisance in Lagos, Nigeria.

Officials of the Lagos State Government stormed the worship centres on Wednesday and shut them down, some for converting residential apartments to places of worship.

According to Adebola Shabi, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, his agency received lots of complaints from residents and neighbors about the nuisance constituted by the premises shut by the agency.

He said in recent times, most of the petitions kept coming back to government as if the government was not working.

He explained that some of the affected facilities had been served abatement notices before their eventual closure, adding that the growing rate of worship centres in the state calls for serious regulations, especially in the areas of noise pollution.

He said some of the worship centres polluting the neighbourhood with noise were usually makeshift structures that do not have government approval.

“You cannot have makeshift structure and say you want to be conducting services or night vigil there. Definitely, you will be disturbing your neighbours. So, the government won’t allow the use of makeshift as a church or mosque.

“Nobody is allowed to make noise above 55 decibel during the day in the residential area and only 45 decibel is allowed in such area at night. In the industrial areas, 90 decibel of noise is allowed during the day while the noise rate must not exceed 80 decibel at night in such areas,” he said.