Lagos State Government, on Sunday, read the riot act to night clubs, bars and lounges, especially those in the Lekki axis, to desist from noise pollution or risk being shut.
A statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, said enforcement raids were carried out on some nightclubs in Lekki following repeated complaints by residents of the area and environs.
He stated that a visit by enforcement officers of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to Prest Jazz Club on Admiralty Way, Lekki, following complaints of flagrant noise pollution, revealed the use of different giant speakers and musical instruments for stage plays and shows, necessitating its closure.
The Commissioner noted that many residents of highbrow Lekki, especially elderly citizens, have inundated his office with petitions and complaints about the adverse effects of noise pollution on their health every night until the early hours of the next day.
Reiterating that the exercise will be a continuous one, Bello advised all clubs that engage in noise pollution to retrace their steps before it is too late, maintaining that apart from putting such clubs or bars under lock and key, the owners of the relaxation points would also be prosecuted according to the dictates of the law.
He stated that no one or organisation would be treated as a sacred cow in the latest campaign, pointing out that research has also shown noise pollution as one of the causative factors for reduced lifespan.
Bello restated that the second pillar of the six-point Development Agenda of the present administration is Health and Environment, which includes combating noise pollution.