The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency has sealed a hotel owned by ex-Super Eagles player, Kanu Nwankwo, on Victoria Island.The hotel was among other hotels, churches and mosques sealed across the state on Monday over alleged air and noise pollution.
No fewer than 30 facilities were shut in areas, including Ketu, Ikorodu, Ibeju-Lekki, Victoria Island and Surulere.
LASEPA said the owners of the facilities had been contacted several times in the last one year, adding that they refused to fully complied with LASEPA’s instructions.
At a mosque in Ketu ─ Olorunkemi Mosque ─ the leaders claimed to have taken down their speakers as instructed by the agency almost immediately.
However, the mosque was sealed for allegedly not complying fully with LASEPA’s instruction.
Other places also sealed include the Rain of Power and Miracles Ministry Church, Lekki; Christ Apostolic Church, Lekki; Duckland Hotels and Suites, Ikorodu; and Mela Rossa Club, Victoria Island.
At the Hardley Apartments, it was noticed that the generators powering the hotel had large exhaust pipes facing the road.
The Director of Enforcement, Kayode Bello, ordered that one of the generators be tested, and it was discovered that it gave off thick gaseous emissions.
Bello said, “Even the sound is going to be more than 45 decibels at night. We want you to comply ─ that is the reason we are here. We have been on this for more than a year.”
The doors and gates of the hotel were subsequently chained, and plastered with the LASEPA seal.
Later at a press briefing in Ikeja, LASEPA General Manager, Rasheed Shabi said, “The environment belongs to every one of us. Lagosians need to live in peace. A survey was carried out by an international organisation and it was discovered that 60 per cent of Nigerians have hearing problem.
“LASEPA, in the last two to three years, has been conducting surveys on religious houses, and our findings revealed that 95 per cent of them do not have approval to operate in Lagos.
“Most houses and club houses do not have fiscal planning approval. Before you can build any hotel anywhere in the world, there must be an environmental impact assessment.
“Most of the markets we have in Lagos State; we have people using trucks to sell their products with speakers to disturb the peace of Lagosians. Soon, we will tow as many trucks as possible to get them off the streets.”
Shabi said the owner of the places sealed would sign an undertaking that they would comply with instructions meant to clean up the environment.
“After today, the enforcement unit will go round. Anybody that breaks the seal has violated the Lagos State law. We will then involve the Ministry of Justice,” Shabi added.