The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has sealed 15 hospitalities facilities across the states over the last seven days. The sealing of these facilities was as a result of an upsurge in noise pollution across the state and the resultant environmental violations, as it recoded over 50 complaints.
This was disclosed by the General Manager of the Agency, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, during an enforcement exercise embarked upon due to the constant outcry over environmental noise. She lamented the flagrant disobedience of some hospitality/leisure operators to environmental laws guiding their business operations.
Dr. Fasawe said the agency responded to over 50 complaints on noise pollution and sealed 15 facilities after verification and confirmation of claims.
“This calls for caution and responsiveness on the part of all concerned. The issue of noise pollution has become a perennial problem that is posing a serious threat to the sanity, stability and peace of mind of victims”, she said.
The General Manager also complained that the reports received were mostly about earlier sealed and re-opened facilities, thereby indicating non-adherence to rules and regulations by the sanctioned operators. “Their short-lived compliance is thereby pretentious and deceptive and shall be dealt with in accordance with the extant laws”, she added.
Some of the facilities sealed for violating the right of residents to a peaceful environment includes: SkyLounge nightclub, at 10, Dayo Adeniji Street, New Oko-Oba, Agege; a residential building at 208 Ikorodu Road; CIRCA Food/ Restaurant, located at 12A Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, and New Hotel at 40, Ekoro Road, Abule Egba, Lagos.
Fasawe stated that “It is disheartening to note that standard of compliance, particularly from recalcitrant pollutants that had earlier been sanctioned, and later given a clean bill for complying with extant laws are still engaging in the act of noise-making.”
She added that more zones had been created to avail residents the opportunity to report any environmental pollution in their areas.
