Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, has cautioned Churches and Mosques in the Federal Capital Territory to abide by laws guarding against noise pollution in order to avoid sanctions.
The Acting Head, Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement of AEPB, Mrs Rebecca Mamvem, stated that religious houses were mounting their speakers and other public address facilities outside their structures thus causing noise pollution.
“There are laws governing level of noise in the FCT; for Residential Areas, 45 decibels is allowed at night and 65 decibels is allowed during the day”.
“For Commercial Areas, 70 decibels is permitted during the day time while 50 decibels is for night time and if you have a lounge or anything that generates noise in a Residential Area, it has to be sound proof”.
Mrs Mamvem explained that the laws were created to bring sanity to the FCT, stating that in civilized countries, religious houses avoid noise pollution and majority of them have sound proof facilities in their buildings.
“God is always by our side, putting speakers outside the buildings and shouting aloud disturbing the neighbourhood is against the Environmental laws in the FCT”.
“AEPB normally deploys its noise meter to places that contribute to noise pollution. Culprits will not be spared”.
She called on residents and organisations to report any act that constitute noise pollution for prompt action.
“We are appealing to religious houses, like mosques and churches in the FCT with speakers outside, to please bring those speakers down because it is noise pollution and is against the law”.
