2nd February, 2024
By David Adeoye
The Oyo State Government said it has sealed a branch of a church at Golden Estate, Oluyole, Ibadan, following persistent complaints from neighbours of the facility over noise pollution.
Oyo Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade in a statement on Friday said the action was taken after several unresolved steps taken by the State Ministry of Environment, to mediate among the complainants, residents and the church management.
“The state government was left with no other options than to seal the church premises to avert preventable escalations of brewing tensions between the residents and the church.
“Some members of the community had, before now, locked the estate gate against members of the Church and prevented services to hold.
“Officials of the Ministry on receipt of several complaints from next door residents to the Church, over the incessant noise, through official letters and phone calls, visited the area, on Nov. 9, 2023.
“The team recorded the sound level of the church activities at intervals, starting from praise-worship, with the average reading of 74 DB (daytime), contravening the extant environmental regulations of 2023, which states that the noise limits for residential areas at daytime must not exceed 65 DB.
“Hence, it was ascertained with sound measurements that the church constituted noise pollution” the statement read.
Oyelade further explained that the Ministry of Environment led by its Commissioner, Mr Mojeed Mogbonjubola later held a resolution meeting with the parties on Nov. 29, 2023.
He said representatives of the Church refused to sign the undertaking letter, with the excuse to get approval from its headquarters and report back on Dec.4, 2023 which they didn’t comply.
Government warns against the occurrence of noise pollution, both by churches, mosques, clubhouses, industries, companies and marketplaces, as violators would be prosecuted.(NAN)