Lagos State government shuts 24 religious houses due to the noise pollution they create

LAGOS State government has shut 24 religious outfits for contravening its guidelines on noise pollution due to the big loudspeakers they mount on their premises that cause offence to local people. 

According to the Lagos State government, over the last year, at least 24 religious outfits were shut in year 2014 for breaching noise pollution guidelines. This is part of an environmental programme designed to safeguard health and address the unique concerns of the Lagos metropolis that is fast becoming one of the world's largest cities. 

As part of this programme, the Lagos State government also plans to establish a new material recovery facility, to capture the huge waste generated daily under its waste-to-wealth scheme. Ademola Shabi, the general manager of the Lagos State Environment Protection, said that during the course of the year, 13 industries had shut for violating the environmental guidelines set by the government. 

He lamented that the pollution generated daily in the state was increasing and the government must embark on further measures to reduce it. Noise and industrial pollution appear to be two of the major challenges the state faces for now. 

Mr Shabi said: “We received over 1, 000 petitions in the year under review but we have been able to resolve some and some have relocated. We have shut about 24 religious outfits in the last one year because they failed to adhere to the state guidelines on noise pollution." 

He explained that these religious outfits contribute about 50 percent of the noise pollution in the state and over the last few years have been a menace. According to Mr Shabi, what is usually done is that several of these religious houses are relocated from residential communities or they are shut down totally. 

Over the last few decades, Nigeria has become the country with the most number of churches in the world, as an explosion of evangelical places of worship hit the nation. Coupled with the large number of mosques, the explosion has turned Lagos metropolis into a very noisy city with health implications.

Lagos State government shuts 24 religious houses due to the noise pollution they create