The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has called on Nigerians to promptly report environmental violations to the agency.
By Doris Esa
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has called on Nigerians to promptly report environmental violations to the agency.
Dr Innocent Barikor, the Director-General, NESREA, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Barikor spoke through Mr Elijah Udofia, Director, Environmental Quality Control (EQC), NESREA.
The director-general also urged Nigerians to respect environmental laws and regulations in the country.
He said that the agency would not fail to take action against individuals or facilities that violated those laws.
Barikor said that the agency had received and responded to several complaints on noise pollution.
He said the complaints were mostly from faith-based organisations (Churches and Mosques), night clubs, social gardens, power generating sets, musical shops, among others, within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other states of the federation.
“These complaints received were investigated and resolved.’’
He said that the National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations, 2009 prescribed the maximum permissible noise levels a facility or activity to which a person might be exposed to.
“Regulation 5(1) states that “No person shall emit or cause to be emitted, or permit the emission of noise resulting from any action or activity specified in sub-regulation (2) of this regulation if that noise is a disturbance to the receptor or in the neighbourhood for more than two minutes or is within the prohibited time in a residential area or Noise Control Zone as determined by the agency in consultation with state and local governments.’’
Barikor said that regulations 5 (1) and (2) (a) stated addressed noise pollution caused by the use of power bike at night.
He said that the regulations equally addressed noise from other forms like in the place of worship, market places, sales, promotion with the use of public address system, among others.
Barikor said that facilities that were guilty of non-compliance had been sanctioned as provided in the National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations 2009 after being served several notifications to abate noise pollution.
He said that, to effectively carry out her mandate, the agency was enforcing the provisions of 35 National Environmental Regulations on various environmental issues.
“NESREA focuses her regulatory work on individuals or organisations whose activities pose threat to the environment.
“Out of these regulations, one that is completely geared towards regulating the activities that lead to noise pollution is the National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations 2009, amongst other provisions.
“The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that the citizenry has access to quiet environment; these regulations have noise limits for places at different times.
“The regulations also call on individuals to report noise pollution complaints to the agency for swift intervention and abatement.’’
He said in pursuit of the implementation of National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations, 2009, the agency embarked on sensitisation of the general public on the provisions of the regulations.
The NESERA boss said the regulations stressed on the sources and dangers of noise and ways of ameliorating the menace.
Barikor said that the sensitisation campaigns on noise pollution by the agency were carried out through print and broadcast media, social media, posters, flyers, stickers, among others.
“The agency, in her tradition of creating awareness on environmental matters, carries out weekly sensitisation exercise in all the states where NESREA has an office, including the FCT.
“The objectives of this exercise are to sensitise the general public on the mandate of the agency as it relates to noise, sanitation and waste control and other environmental issues.
“NESERA also enlightens the general public on the vision of the agency in ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment.’’
He said that the agency was currently working on carrying out enforcement exercises against some facilities in Abuja and Nasarawa State for violating the provisions of the regulations.
“Recently, Cyvillian Garden, a popular relaxation spot in Mararaba , Nasarawa State, was shut down by NESREA over complaints on noise pollution by residents,’’ he said.
Barikor reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring a healthier environment for all Nigerians.
More so, an environmental consultant, Mr Lanre Eyinfunjowo, told NAN that noise pollution was a critical issue that needed to be addressed in Nigeria environmental space.
Eyinfunjowo, who is the President, Association of Accredited Environmental Consultants of Nigeria, said that many people were not aware that noise was a type of pollution.
“Noise is something that a lot of people don’t see as pollution.
“It is a fundamental environmental impact because what people don’t know is that noise can lead to a lot of stress, fatigue, hearing impairment and even brain damage.
“Noise can affect the sight; people don’t know about that as well,” he said.
He urged NESREA and other relevant agencies to continue to address the menace of noise pollution through public advocacy and sensitisation of Nigerians on the impact of noise to the environment. (NAN
