The government of Oyo State has taken measures to close down a newly established church located in Golden Estate, Oluyole, Ibadan, the state’s capital, citing concerns of noise pollution.
The decision to seal the church, a branch of Christ Life Church, came after numerous attempts by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to mediate between the church management and residents who had lodged complaints against the noise levels.
Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Architect Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, announced this action on Friday, explaining that it was necessary to prevent further tensions between residents and the church.
The Ministry had received several complaints from neighboring residents regarding the excessive noise emanating from the church during its activities.
Following official letters and phone calls, ministry officials visited the area on Thursday, November 9, 2023, and recorded sound levels, which consistently averaged at 74 decibels, exceeding the permissible limit of 65 decibels for residential areas during the daytime as per the Extant Environmental Regulations of 2023, Section 58, Paragraph (b).
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Efforts to resolve the issue through a meeting held in the ministry’s conference room on November 29, 2023, were futile as the church declined to sign an undertaking letter, citing the need for approval from its headquarters, and promised to revert on Monday, December 4, 2023.
In light of the church’s continued non-compliance with regulations, the state government found it necessary to seal the premises to uphold environmental standards and mitigate the grievances of affected residents.