The Enugu State Government says it will begin enforcement of the anti-noise pollution policy, to combat the rampant noise pollution in the metropolis on November 15.
Mr Uche Anya, the Chairman, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement on how to minimise noise in the state.
”The state government will soon begin the implementation of the anti-noise pollution policy in Enugu capital and environs, to regulate noise within the residential areas,” he said.
Describing the engagement as apt, he advised churches and owners of entertainment centres to soundproof their buildings, in order not to disturb the neighbourhood.
The chairman said that the aim of the engagement was not to demolish any church or entertainment centre, but to brainstorm on the best way to make the residential areas have some level of sanity.
He said that the authority had received over a thousand petitions from the people, concerning the rate of noise pollution in the state.
The ECTDA boss said that if a church or an entertainment centre existed before residential houses started springing up around the zone, the church or the entertainment centre should soundproof the building.
He threatened to shut down any church or entertainment centre sited within the residential zones that refuses to comply with the directives of the government, even when it obtained any form of noise permit from the state government.
Anya promised that the agency would be humane in handling the situation, which he said was not aimed at harming anyone, but to make the state conducive for living, and for the best interest of the residents.
In their separate speeches, Rev. Carley Ibekwe and Alhaji Sariki Sambo, assured the agency of their readiness to comply with the directives.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mainstream Media, Chief Dan Nwome and his New Media counterpart, Dr Reuben Onyishi commended Anya for his efforts in bringing sanity to the state metropolis,
They urged him to also consider relocating roadside mechanics to a better place.
