Lagos Marks International Noise Awareness Day with Webinar Campaign

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  • Warns Against Uncontrolled, Unregulated Noise

As the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), joined other agencies globally to mark the Year 2020 International Noise Awareness Day (INAD), themed “Protect Your Hearing, Protect Your Health”, the general public has been warned of the dangers inherent in excessive exposure to unregulated sounds.

The warning was issued today by different speakers during an online event organised to mark the International Noise Awareness Day in Lagos.

In her opening remark, the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe advised members of the public to be conscious of their rights under the law as it relates to noise pollution, urging that necessary steps be taken whenever their rights are abused or encroached upon by others.

Fasawe disclosed that the Agency, through its social media platforms, usually receives hundreds of complaints from residents who are concerned about either noise pollution or general environmental hazards within their vicinity, saying the agency usually responds in a swift and timely manner.

She said, “We have discovered that some business owners have negative business motives and do not possess the civility to be good neighbours. And on several occasions, we had to sanction or bring the full force of the law on these recalcitrant individuals or organisations in order to make them act responsibly”.

The General Manager warned that constant and unregulated exposure to noise could lead to hearing loss, indigestion, sleeplessness, loss in productivity, among others, stressing that the process of regaining hearing after it is lost is very costly and traumatic.

She added that collaboration and harmonious working relationship between the Agency and the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) on public enlightenment and advocacy programmes have greatly contributed to LASEPA’s delivery of its mandates which is premised on a noiseless Lagos, devoid of all forms of environmental nuisances.

In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mrs. Ronke Odeneye, opined that as efforts are being intensified to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic in the State, same attention must also be paid to the issue of noise pollution to flatten and reduce the trend to the barest minimum across Lagos metropolis.

Odeneye, therefore, advocated the use of insulated interiors for social gatherings or religious purposes such that the activities or celebrations of a section of the society would not be seen as irritation to other residents of the community.

While noting that the second pillar in the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, which is Health and Environment, emanated from the belief that a saner environment is “sine qua non” for a healthy society, the Permanent Secretary stressed that Lagosians must be very responsible in their quest to satisfy their entertainment needs without necessarily causing disturbance to others.

The Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, categorised the traumatic effect of noise into Physical, Physiological and Psychological, saying that the aftermath of noise pollution is beyond deafness but also comes with some emotional disturbances.

He commended LASEPA for maintaining a check and balance on some recalcitrant organisations, noting that the recent clampdown on erring religious organisations as a very good step in the right direction since some individuals and bodies have paid little or no attention to noise pollution emanating from them.

Fagbohun challenged the Agency to go beyond enforcement and begin to conduct academic researches into some areas that would further show the impact of noise pollution on some locations across the State, in line with some places already mapped out for study by the Government.

On how to cope in a noisy environment, Mrs. Kemi Remi-Dairo, Founder of KRD Hearing Foundation, suggested the use of noise protection plugs, restriction of movement to loud noise generating areas as well as taking a break from noisy environments or locations.

Remi-Dairo, a survivor of hearing loss, advised anyone with a mild hearing impairment to seek help immediately as delay could be dangerous, saying “Always protect your hearing because it is priceless, it’s not something you can trade with”.

Other speakers at the webinar, which was moderated by the Director-General of Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, with more than 117 participants, included Mr. Idris Olorunnimbe of Temple Management Company; Mr. Bolaji Idowu, CEO Harvesters International Church and Hussain Bin Hyacinth, Deputy Chief Imam, Nurul-Islam Central Mosque, Ikoyi, Lagos.

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