Three Churches have been sealed by Oyo state government for noise making and violating the prescribed noise level in the state.
Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Chief Isaac Ishola who disclosed this in Ibadan during a chat with newsmen vowed that the present administration in Oyo State is ready to enforce the laws regulating noise in the state , saying, his Ministry would no longer tolerate the culture of impunity as any religious body found exceeding the prescribed noise in the state would be sealed off.
The Commissioner maintained that any body that refused to comply with the law would be arrested , and the premises sealed in line with the laws regulating noise in the state.
Chief Ishola declared that Oyo state government last year November held a meeting with the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) , Muslim Ulamas , Imams, DJs and communication companies , and hotel owners , after which they all promised to talk with their members on the need to comply with state regulations on the environment.
” But since then, the state government have not seen any remarkable improvement. And not only that , the state government decided to look into approved plans of these religious buildings . Imagine when you have churches and mosques inside Government Reservation Areas (GRAs) with external speakers . And that is why the government resolved that it must put a stop to this nuisances ” he said
Chief Ishola added that “section58 of the Oyo state Environmental Sanitation and and Waste Control Regulation No.6 Vol.38 of 2013 states that no person shall make noise beyond permissible level to the environment. And when we go to these places they have exceeded the permissible level”.
According to the Commissioner, for industrial area, “the noise permissible level shall be 90DP within a distance of 2.5 metres from the source of the noise , while in the case of residential area the noise permissible level 60DP and 45DP for day and night respectively.”
While threatening “to arrest anybody who violates the regulations and ensure that the offenders face the full wrath of the law.the Commissioner urged religious bodies in Oyo state to remove all external speakers mounted on their building as this is against government laws regulating noise in the environment.
