LASEPA says it has taken 30,000 noise pollution actions in 30 years
- Lagos environmental agency LASEPA says it has carried out at least 30,000 noise enforcement actions since it was set up.
- Its general manager, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, said the agency handles more than 1,000 noise cases a year.
- He named population growth as the biggest challenge to protecting the environment in Lagos.
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) says it has carried out at least 30,000 noise pollution enforcement actions in its 30 years of operation.
Its General Manager, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, said the agency has handled more than 1,000 noise-related cases every year since it was established. The actions covered businesses, industrial facilities, religious institutions and, where necessary, residential premises.
Ajayi spoke on Wednesday while looking back on the agency's three decades of environmental regulation, according to PM News. He said the anniversary was a chance to check how well LASEPA has done its job and to plan ahead.
For ordinary Lagos residents, noise enforcement is one of the ways the agency deals with complaints about loud generators, worship centres, bars and factories close to homes.
Complaints now go online
Ajayi said the agency has digitised its operations, so residents can submit and track environmental complaints through an online portal from anywhere in the state.
He also said enforcement had pushed some facilities and religious institutions to move from locations where their activities broke environmental rules.
He admitted there is still much work to do. He described population growth as the biggest challenge to environmental protection in Lagos, saying more people, industry and business have increased pressure on the environment.
He said some areas once seen as residential are gradually turning into commercial centres, which means the agency's rules and enforcement must keep changing with the times.
Ajayi also said LASEPA is involved in Nigeria's carbon market and climate action efforts, and described it as the only government-owned environmental laboratory working at its level in the country.
The agency has also put its 30-year history into a documentary to mark the anniversary.
What happens next
Ajayi said LASEPA will keep strengthening environmental monitoring, expand enforcement and adapt to the changing needs of Lagos. He said the goal is to protect the environment, safeguard public health and improve the quality of life for residents.
