Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan
Towards reducing noise pollution in the state, Oyo State government on Tuesday, directed all the religious centres and social clubs in the state to remove their external speakers within two weeks or face the wrath of the law.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Isaac Ishola, while speaking during a ministerial briefing organized by the state government at the Film Theatre, Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism, Secretariat, Ibadan disclosed that over 600 offenders have been tried for violating environmental laws.
He added that over 200 Industries have been monitored this year for air emissions and effluent discharges with about 12 facilities sanctioned in the areas of sealing up, provision of remediation measures and Community Social Responsibilities.
Ishola, who addressed the press with his counterpart from Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, said there has been series of stakeholder meetings with religious bodies including the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), League of Imams amongst others to demand full compliance, noting that the ministry has recorded significant levels of understanding and compliance while several stakeholders are yet to comply which led to the sealing up of (3) three Churches for flagrant contravention of the law.
He pointed out that the permissive level of sound according to the state environmental sanitation laws for industrial areas is 90db (Decibel) with a distance of 2.5meters while 60db and 45db for the day and night at a distance of 5meters for the residents adding that any sound more than the stated has become noise which is detrimental to the health of the people.
He then warned that after the two weeks ultimatum any one caught would face the wrath of the law, saying that all industrial facilities in the state today are being constantly inspected to monitor and control the impact of their activities in the environment such as Environmental Impact Assessment for new Industrial facilities and Environmental Audit Reports for existing ones.
The commissioner noted that the government’s enforcement activities has led to about 400 street-trading offenders, 250 improper waste disposal offenders, two poultry farms, four illegal rearing of domestic animals, one Piggery farm and Temidire Plank Market, being sanctioned through arraignment in the court and outright closure.
He said about 100 members of the Yes-O cadets have been engaged to complement the existing workforce of the Ministry and two Mobile Courts have been established, explaining that public health issues such as improper disposal of Solid Waste, Street-Trading, destitute management and Street begging, house to house sanitation inspection are being carried out to maintain clean and healthier environment.
He said, “Solid Waste Management is now Private Sector driven involving the engagement of Private Waste Contractors by the Government and each property owner having individual waste bins, paying to the officials of the State Government only. We humbly request for understanding and cooperation. The added value in the chain is the activities to convert the waste to wealth and energy in a well-packaged integrated waste management programme. It has the potential to cause economic boost in Oyo State and generate a number of economic means to at least 2000 people.
“In the area of erosion and Flood Control, this Ministry has been very much active by carrying out activities such as inspection and control of drainage facilities, enforcing observance of building codes, set-backs and dredging of 36 rivers in Ibadan Metropolis.
"This was really helpful to minimize impacts of the flood incident that affected areas such as Orogun/Agbowo Stream, Upper Ona-River (Ajibode), Egberi River (Olodo) Jenriyin Stream (Kute) and back flow into Agodi Lake. However, the Ministry acknowledges receipt of as many as 40 other requests from communities to extend dredging operations to their areas. Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project and this Ministry are currently working to effect the requests.
“The Ministry supervises the operations of Water Corporation of Oyo State and Rural Water Supply and sanitation Agency of Oyo state. There are as many as forty (40) dams in Oyo State with potentialitises to build more. In addition a number of waterworks are to be constructed in various zones of the State in order to ensure sufficient potable water supply”.
Ishola further noted that the state will carry out emission tests on Vehicles, Motorcycles and Generators, stating that motor cycles will pay N300/annum, cars owners are to pay N1,000/ annum, buses is N2,000 and N5,000 as the case may be while articulated vehicles is N10,000/Annum.
