Fashola, clerics to tackle noise pollution

The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola is to meet with religious leaders to address noise polution in the state.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Rasheed Shabi, stated this at Amuwo Odofin Local Government on Friday during the inaugural campaign against pollution, especially noise, at the grassroots.

Shabi said, “Governor Fashola will in the next few weeks invite the league of Imams and church leaders to his office to address noise pollution in the state.

“We need to know how many religious houses we have in every local government. The local governments should be able to meet with these religious bodies twice in a year to stem noise pollution.

“Excessive exposure to noise can lead to deafness and eyes defect. You cannot open mosques and churches in residential areas and disturb others; we can’t take that. We want to work with you to curb this.

“The Local Government should call all these people together and use the language they understand to pass the message across to them. You have the responsibility to mobilise your people and tell them what the government wants.”

Shabi explained that LASEPA was using the campaign to strengthen its collaboration with 57 councils in the state to combat industrial and noise pollution.

He lamented that noise pollution had been giving the state government serious concern, saying the agency receives between 10 and 15 petitions on noise pollution  daily.

The LASEPA boss told Amuwo Odofin council officials led by the Secretary to the local government, Shade Ajao, and the Manager, Segun Ajao, that Fashola had directed the agency to partner with councils in the state to curb industrial and noise pollution.

He said, “Pollution has been a problem to the state. Close to 60 per cent of pollution comes from the over 3, 000 industries we have in the state.

“In Amuwo-Odofin, we have close to 300 industries. Also, there are about 33 water receiving points in the state and all are highly polluted. We need to give out a cleaner environment to the next generation.”

Shabi urged the councils to sensitise the people on the danger of indescriminate dumping of e-waste.

“The way you dispose solid waste is different from the way you dispose e-waste. A television set contains lots of chemicals that are dangerous to health.

“E-waste is killing lots of people gradually. Meet with people selling generators, television sets and other electronic gadgets and sensitise them on the danger of e-waste,” he said.