By Kingsley Adegboye

The Lagos State Government last week, threatened to sanction places of worship for allegedly  disturbing public peace with noise from their loud speakers.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello who issued the threat at the  2014 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of the Environment, decried a situation where about five churches and three mosques located on one street, disturb the peace of the residents with loud speakers during their programmes.

Bello said the government has been inundated with complaints from residents of affected streets and warned that it ( government) would no longer watch while the trend continues. He added that worshiping God does not have to extend as far as encroaching on the rights of other people.

“It is not right for mosques and churches to disturb other people with noise from their activities simply because they are worshiping God. Nobody says people should not worship God, but they don’t have to disturb residents within the neighbourhoods.

“Worshiping God should not come with so much discomfort to others. The ugly situation we have in some parts of the state is between four and five churches and mosques on one street blaring so much noise at the same time, thereby disturbing the peace of others. This is unacceptable and we can no longer tolerate this,’’ he said.

The commissioner who rendered the account of his ministry for the year under review, said the government is no longer comfortable with the disturbing noise emanating from markets, club houses and factories and would not hesitate to sanction operators of such places.

Bello who revealed that the government sealed no fewer than four churches, three hotels and one factory last year for noise pollution, also warned residents who are in the habit of defecating in open places to desist from the act or incur the wrath of the law.

He said open defecation and urination is becoming a problem in the state. According to him, the practice constitutes a threat to public health and the environment. “People just defecate openly anywhere and I think this is not good at all. Very soon, we will begin full enforcement of the law on open defecation and anybody caught will be dealt with”, Bello charged.