Lagos Assembly begins battle against noise pollution

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State Ambode Smiles

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State

Eromosele Ebhomele

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday commenced a bid that could help the state stem the rising trend of noise pollution.

PM NEWS can confirm that residents of the state have variously complained about the impact of noise pollution from places of worships, commercial bus drivers, and those who use loud speakers in the sales of their commodities.

The House, apart from calling on the state Ministry of Information and Strategy to begin an enlightenment campaign to sensitise the public on the danger that noise pollution poses to health and the need to stem its tide, also called on the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to direct the General Manager of the state Environmental Protection Agency to commence the discharge of the statutory responsibility conferred on the agenvy by Section 9 (a) of the state Environmental Protection Agency Law, 1996.

The House also resolved to call on the state Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture to ensure that the use of public address systems are discouraged within the community so as not to disturb the peace and tranquility of the various communities.

The House decision came after a motion titled: “Need for Regulation of Noise Pollution in Lagos State” and raised by the member representing Epe Constituency 1, Abiodun Tobun.

Tobun, in the motion, lamented the high level of noise pollution arising from the blaring of music by vendors, streets party organisers and outdoor advertisers as well as indiscriminate use of horns by motorists and cyclists on major highways in the states.

The lawmaker also noted the high culpability of churches, mosques and other faith-based organisations in the state through their various programmes like vigil, mobile preaching, tafsir and periodic calls to prayers.

He educated his colleagues on the health impact of noise pollution as recently raised by the Nigeria Hearing and Speech Association, NHSA.

He said more Nigerians are now suffering from hearing impairment as a result of noise pollution and lamented that there was no proper enforcement of Section 9 (a) of the LASEPA Law 1996, aimed at controlling noise pollution in a cosmopolitan state like Lagos with over 15 million residents.

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The member representing Alimosho Constituency 1, Bisi Yusuf, appealed for proper enforcement of the regulation against noise pollution.

“When some people are praying, it will seems as if God is deaf and you begin to wonder may be God won’t answer their prayers if they don’t shout.

“We should call on these faith-based organisations to allow God rest; the existing regulations should be enforced,” Yusuf said.

Contributing, Gbolahan Yishawu, another lawmaker, noted that the motion is timely.

“In enforcing the regulation, we should ensure that construction companies and noise of generators should also be looked into,” Yishawu said.

Most of the lawmakers agreed that it was right to call the concerned agencies and parastatals of government to up law enforcement further suggesting that motor parks should be included in the enforcement of the regulation.

Segun Olulade who represents Epe Constituency 2 at the House, said: “some motor parks also constitute to this issue of noise pollution and we must not overlook them in the enforcement of this regulation.”

But the member representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2, Emeka Idimogu, urged for caution reminding his colleagues that what they called noise was part of a developing society.

He said in this part of the world, people shout for others to listen adding: “we should use a persuasive approach in addressing it because we all made noise during the electioneering campaign and noise has become a part of us. We can’t change it overnight.”

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