Ogun Seals Three Worship Centres Over Noise pollution

[Esther ogunseemi]

The Ogun State government has sealed three religious centres in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, for contravening the state laws on noise pollution and defying government order on the pollution.

The three sealed Churches include 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.

While sealing the churches, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, Farook Akintunde, said all the three churches were sealed after several warnings and dialogue with them to stop the noise pollution emanating from their worship centres proved abortive.

“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”.

“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,” Akintunde stated.

“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 advised other 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.