We Can Prosecute Churches, Mosques For Noise Pollution — NESREA

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement
Agency (NESREA) says it has the power to prosecute for noise
pollution, churches and mosques that use loudspeakers without
control while worshipping.

Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director-General of NESREA made this known
while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in
Abuja.

According to Jauro, noise is one of the serious environmental
pollutants, adding that a noisy place affects plants, animals, and
humans.

“Once they are subjected to the noise, it leads to a lot of
health problems ranging from hypertension and other diseases. So,
as an agency, we have a specific regulation on noise control.

“What we do as an agency is that we go out to ensure compliance.
There is a lot of activities people engage in that affect the
environment and individuals. We receive complaints from a lot of
people.

“For instance, places like churches, mosques, even industries
are causing a lot of noise which we receive complaints from people,
so we do visit such areas, sensitising them about the problem
people are facing.

“We also advise them on how they can go about their activities
without polluting the environment by the noise. We carry out
enforcement when the need arises,” he said.

by relevant environmental stakeholders to curb environmental
pollution in Nigeria.

He said that the sensitisation would help the public to
understand the havoc pollution was causing both to humans, animals,
plants, as well as the environment.

“Sensitisation is the key, people don’t even know the impact of
this noise pollution so we always try to sensitise the public.

“There is need to sensitise and educate the public on
environmental issues so that everybody will key-in to support
NESREA so that we will have a cleaner and healthier environment,”
Jauro said.

He also called on Nigerians to ensure they complied with
environmental rules and regulations, adding that there should be a
noise limit in worship centres, industries, and social gatherings,
among others.

Jauro said the agency had the mandate and power to prosecute any
organisation or individual who refuses to abide by environmental
rules and regulations.

“All these provisions are there in our regulations, there is a
provision for fine first, when we receive a complaint we go there
and look at the complaint.

“Then, we go back and serve another compliance notice. We will
do that about two times, the third one, we can take either the
facility or individual to the court of law.

“But most of the time, we try to see that we resolve the matter
amicably with those responsible.

“We do make sure we resolve those disputes, but if they persist,
yes, we can sanction the offenders, and also take them to court of
law and some of them can be judged,’’ he said. (NAN)

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement
Agency (NESREA) says it has the power to prosecute for noise
pollution, churches and mosques that use loudspeakers without
control while worshipping.

Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director-General of NESREA made this known
while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in
Abuja.

According to Jauro, noise is one of the serious environmental
pollutants, adding that a noisy place affects plants, animals, and
humans.

“Once they are subjected to the noise, it leads to a lot of
health problems ranging from hypertension and other diseases. So,
as an agency, we have a specific regulation on noise control.

“What we do as an agency is that we go out to ensure compliance.
There is a lot of activities people engage in that affect the
environment and individuals. We receive complaints from a lot of
people.

“For instance, places like churches, mosques, even industries
are causing a lot of noise which we receive complaints from people,
so we do visit such areas, sensitising them about the problem
people are facing.

“We also advise them on how they can go about their activities
without polluting the environment by the noise. We carry out
enforcement when the need arises,” he said.

by relevant environmental stakeholders to curb environmental
pollution in Nigeria.

He said that the sensitisation would help the public to
understand the havoc pollution was causing both to humans, animals,
plants, as well as the environment.

“Sensitisation is the key, people don’t even know the impact of
this noise pollution so we always try to sensitise the public.

“There is need to sensitise and educate the public on
environmental issues so that everybody will key-in to support
NESREA so that we will have a cleaner and healthier environment,”
Jauro said.

He also called on Nigerians to ensure they complied with
environmental rules and regulations, adding that there should be a
noise limit in worship centres, industries, and social gatherings,
among others.

Jauro said the agency had the mandate and power to prosecute any
organisation or individual who refuses to abide by environmental
rules and regulations.

“All these provisions are there in our regulations, there is a
provision for fine first, when we receive a complaint we go there
and look at the complaint.

“Then, we go back and serve another compliance notice. We will
do that about two times, the third one, we can take either the
facility or individual to the court of law.

“But most of the time, we try to see that we resolve the matter
amicably with those responsible.

“We do make sure we resolve those disputes, but if they persist,
yes, we can sanction the offenders, and also take them to court of
law and some of them can be judged,’’ he said. (NAN)