The Lagos State Government has shut down 53 churches, mosques and hotels over noise pollution and environmental nuisance.
This was made known by the General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, Engr Rasheed Shabi.
Advancing reason for the closure, Engr. Shabi said the agency received series of complaints from people living in the area where these churches, mosques and hotels are located, adding that some of the worship centres used to be residential apartments, and their conversion contravened the land use act as well as constituted nuisance to other neighbours.
He said: “In recent times, most of the petitions kept coming back to us. It was as if we are not working at all. That was why we shut the premises.
“You cannot have makeshift structure and say you want to be conducting services or vigil there. Definitely, you will be disturbing your neighbours. So, the government won’t allow the use of makeshift facilities 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.
“The compliance level is increasing. More residents now understand the effect of noise. Some of the religious houses are also complying with the noise pollution regulations.”
Shabi said that the hotels were shut for failing to conduct and submit Environmental Impact Assessment report about their premises.
