Championing a Noiseless Lagos

As part of measures to moderate the noise decibels an urban city like Lagos generates on a daily basis, the state government recently banned use of microphones and amplifiers at all motorparks. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that this advocacy for a noiseless environment will ensure defaulters are duly punished

Although most people are not aware, over time, any sound that’s 85 decibels or higher can cause hearing loss — or other hearing problems, like tinnitus (a ringing sound in the ears that won’t go away).

For Lagos residents, this rings true as the city generates higher decibels of noise that is dangerous to one’s hearing if appropriate measures are not taken.

While it’s understandable that noise is an essential component of urban development that cannot be eliminated, experts however posit that it can be controlled to an acceptable level.

It was in line with that the Lagos State government last Tuesday banned the use of all forms of amplifiers at all motor parks across the state or defaulters would face the wrath of the law.

This was made known by the Special Adviser on Transportation, Hon. Oluwatoyin Moses Fayinka during a -joint press briefing organised by the Lagos state Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to curb the menace of noise pollution at Lagos motor parks/garages.

Fayinka lamented the indiscriminate use of megaphones and speakers to attract passengers at motor parks and thereby pronounced that defaulting motor parks would be shut down, while anybody caught using any noise generating device within the motor park would be sanctioned in accordance with the law.

He said the new directive was effective from last Tuesday and any motor parks found to be using amplifiers or any noise making device is culpable and should be ready to face the consequences.

In a statement made available to THISDAY by CPAO LASEPA, Bola Ajao, he said the park monitoring committee has been mandated to monitor motor parks across the state for total compliance and enforce accordingly in other to restore sanity and right of other road users to a noiseless environment.

In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (OES), Dr Tajudeen Omobolaji Gaji expressed that noise pollution is an unwanted sound in excess of the permissible limits, which has become prevalent to Lagos environment; causing stress with severe health implications, with long term exposure causing hearing loss that is detrimental to human health.

“Noise pollution is the major leading public complaints received at the agency, ranging from the transport sector, religious, commercial and entertainment industry, domestic animals, and power generators amongst others.

“Adults are believed to be the ones thought to show great concerns from problems associated with noise pollution, but children are quite vulnerable as well, more so as there are no known visible symptoms at early age,” Gaji averred.

According to him, noise pollution is the most prevalent of the complaints received annually, accounting for 75 per cent of total complaints, adding that the complaints are mostly anthropogenic, and not limited to transport, religious, commercial, industrial, entertainment, and power generating amongst others sources.

He disclosed further that the outcome of the survey, conducted after the agency organised free hearing test for the road transport workers during the ’ 2021 Noiseless Lagos’’ Campaign at Biode Motor Park Ojota, indicated a great percentage of hearing impairment, such as partial deafness amongst the tested and which was unknown to them.

This, he said, calls for great concern, and urgent intervention on the part of the state government, thus; the ban on the use of speakers in garages and motor parks in the state.

The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe confirmed that no motor park from Tuesday, the 8th of February, 2022, is allowed to use amplifiers or other noise- making devices to call passengers or advertise goods within Lagos motor parks.

She reiterated that the agency consolidated on the mutual working relationship between the ministry of transportation and road transport unions.

“Section 177 of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017 prohibits the use of public address system or loudspeaker to solicit for passengers or advertise the sale of goods at parks, markets and public places.

“There is a specified amount of decibel of noise required in the day time and night; therefore our actions should be guided in line with the directive of the government,” she said.

Prof. Dele Owolawi, consultant audiologist (CEO, Decibel Hearing Consultant)and Dr. Tolu Ajomale, project coordinator and Mental health desk officer (Ministry of Health) respectively commended the laudable of the state government on motor park noise, describing the rate at which the figure of affected Nigerians was increasing as alarming and worrisome to medical experts.

Prof. Owolawi further revealed that no fewer than 8.5 million Nigerians are suffering from hearing impairments as recent study conducted at the motor parks showed that 17 per cent of the people working in the parks are suffering from hearing impairments as a result of the noise pollution.

On his part, Dr. Ajomale stated that studies have linked noise pollution to increased anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, instability, sleeping disorder and stroke with it significant effects on health sector and mental health amongst others.

Meanwhile, LASEPA already has a subsisting advocacy campaign tagged “Less Noise, More Sense”. The yearly event is to sensitise and encourage people to initiate action on bothersome noise at work, home and social circles to promote healthy living and a peaceful environment.

Under Dr. Fasawe, the advocacy is a staunch resolve by the agency to ensure a peaceful, ambient and sustainable environment.

So while the government is disposed to the fundamental rights of individuals to the religion of choice, right to fellowship, entrepreneur drives but with total consideration and respect for the right of others to a reasonably quiet environment and peaceful living.

Although there are so many reasons to be passionate about turning down the volume on noise, but it all comes down to this: one needs to protect his/her hearing, which essentially boils down to protecting their health.

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“There is a specified amount of decibel of noise required in the day time and night; therefore our actions should be guided in line with the directive of the government”