February 02, (THEWILL) – The Oyo State Government has sealed a church premises (name withheld), situated at Golden Estate, in the Oluyole area of Ibadan, over noise pollution.
In a statement on Friday, Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, said the action followed several failed attempts by the State Ministry of Environment, to mediate among the complainants, residents and the church management.
“The state government was left with no other options than to seal the church premises to avert preventable escalations of brewing tensions between the residents and the church.
“Some members of the community had, before now, locked the estate gate against members of the Church and prevented services from being held.
“Officials of the Ministry on receipt of several complaints from next door residents to the Church, over the incessant noise, through official letters and phone calls, visited the area on November 9, 2023.
“The team recorded the sound level of the church activities at intervals, starting from praise-worship, with the average reading of 74 DB (daytime), contravening the extant environmental regulations of 2023, which states that the noise limits for residential areas at daytime must not exceed 65 DB.
“Hence, it was ascertained with sound measurements that the church constituted noise pollution”, the statement read.
Oyelade further explained that the Ministry of Environment led by its Commissioner, Mojeed Mogbonjubola later held a resolution meeting with the parties on November 29, 2023.
He said representatives of the Church refused to sign the undertaking letter, with the excuse to get approval from its headquarters and report back on December 4, 2023, which they didn’t comply with.
Meanwhile, the State Government has warned churches, mosques, clubhouses, industries, companies and marketplaces, that violators of noise pollution would be prosecuted.
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