Nairametrics| The General manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Adebola Shabi, has announced that it is now a crime punishable by a fine of N500,000 to deploy live music bands at restaurants, bars and beer parlours. Similarly, religious houses have been ordered to ensure sound proofing for their venues. This is part of the effort of the Lagos State Government to clamp down on noise pollution in the state, Guardian reports.
Considering the ever-bubbling nature of Lagos, several organizations will be affected by the ban on the use of live bands – hotels, restaurants and clubs alike. As for religious houses, the ban is not new as the government had, at different times previously, banned them from mounting external speakers on their structures.
The noise levels in Lagos State have been increasingly alarming, to the extent that the erstwhile Governor, Babatunde Fashola ordered a ‘No-Horn Day’, which was successful. However, residents are still skeptical of these new measures by LASEPA, especially that affecting religious houses.
Lagos residents cannot rest easy relax just yet if previous attempts at reducing noise levels are anything to go by. This is because this same law has been put into operation several times in the state, with little or no success.
For example, in 2009, during the Fashola administration, the Noise Pollution Control Policy banning the use of external speakers in places of worship was imposed, but with little success. Rather, what ensued was a war of sorts between the religious divides as Christians and Muslims bickered over what they termed ‘biased implementation’.
Finally, LASEPA will point to recent crackdowns which have resulted in reducing noise levels by 35%. In 2016 alone, over 70 churches and 20 nightclubs were shut down. It is hoped that this new ban would further reduce noise levels in Africa’s biggest city.
