No fewer than three worship centres have been sealed by Ogun State government for contravening the state laws on Noise Pollution and defying government repeated order to the pollution.
The three religious centres are Christ Apostolic Church, Fountain of Faith District Headquarters, Gbogunmi, Itedo Alafia Community, Bode Olude, Ambassador of Truth Assembly International, Olorunseye Avenue, Ijeun Titun and Salvation Ministries, Kuforiji Olubi Drive Adigbe GRA all in Abeokuta.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, Alhaji Farook Akintunde told Journalists in Abeokuta that the churches were sealed after several warnings and dialogue with them to stop the noise pollution emanating from their worship centres proved abortive
Alhaji Akintunde noted that the churches were fond of using loud speakers during their evening and vigils to disturb the peace of their immediate communities.
For Christ Apostolic Church, Gbogunmi, Akintunde said “the church was fond of holding evening and night vigils with its loud speakers placed outside its premises at night, thereby disturbing the peace of its immediate community”.
Akintunde: “The community has not only complained, but has written a petition against the church, saying that the noise pollution emanating from the church is affecting the health of their members.
“All efforts to make the presiding Pastor and the Elders of the church see reasons to stop the pollution proved abortive, stressing that no serious government will fold its hands and watch such infractions affecting the health and well-being of its people.
“For Ambassador of Truth Assembly, they were equally found guilty of blaring their loudspeakers at odd times, and aside from incessant noise pollution during their services, worshippers of Salvation Ministries, Adigbe, were unruly and rough handed government officials when sealing their church”.
Akintunde, therefore warned against obstructing government officials from performing their official duties, and urged religious centres against noise pollution, saying that the state government will not hesitate to seal up any of them found guilty of noise pollution in any part of the state.
