Lagos to register churches, mosques – TheNigerialawyer

LAGOS state government is set to register all religious bodies
in the state for ease of reference, communication purposes and to
enable them to participate in government programmes and
activities.

The government had an agreement with religious leaders on having
a database of all churches and mosques located in the state at a
stakeholders’ meeting with Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC),
at Alausa, Ikeja yesterday.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf
allayed the fear of the religious leaders, assuring them that it
was not for taxation purposes.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and read by
Akinbile-Yussuf said the meeting agreed to have a database of all
religious bodies in the state on a platform for ease of reference
and communication purposes.

She added that the Ministry of Home Affairs would collaborate
with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources through
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, to eradicate
noise pollution emanating from places of worship throughout the
state.

She stated that the meeting agreed that religious bodies in the
state would continue to co-exist peacefully and eschew violence and
acts that could lead to wanton destruction of lives and
property.

“The meeting has agreed that religious bodies will assist the
government in community policing by monitoring, preaching, lecture
and prayer against criminal acts in the state.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs will embark on training and
re-training of religious leaders through conferences, seminars,
workshop and lectures to assure the development and inclusive
governance in the state,” she said.

The commissioner also charged religious leaders to come up with
solutions that would help tackle the menace of hoodlums in the
state.