Noise Pollution And Fading Echo of Lagos “Horn Free Day”
Not many people still remember the Lagos state Horn Free Day of October 15 of every year.
It is a day set aside by the government for all vehicles to refrain from honking their horns or blaring their sirens.
It is a day the mosques and churches must silence their
loudspeakers. It is supposed to be a noiseless day in Lagos.
Former Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) came up with the idea in 2014 that later became an act to be be obeyed by Lagos residents and motorists.
However, nine years after the formulation of this policy and pronouncement of October 15 as Lagos Horn Free Day, the enforcement has been a total failure.
Echonews observed that motorists used sirens and horns indiscriminately on October 15, 2023 and no offender wasarrested over this.
During the monitoring, it was gathered that many motorists could not even remember that October 15 is Lagos Horn Free Day.
Investigation also revealed that many of the officials of the state Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA had forgotten the Horn Free Day. The newly recruited among them do not even have any idea about the day.
Ironically noise pollution constitutes 81.8 per cent of environmental complaints received yearly by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agancy and it is the least that is being enforced by the government.
The General Manager of LASEPA Miss Dolapo Fasawe said at the eighth edition of the ‘Noiseless Lagos’ campaign that noise pollution had become a recurring decimal, attracting more public complaints and conflicts.
According to her, the World Bank study informed the need to address the menace of noise pollution, having discovered it as the second most significant environmental health risk factor after air pollution.
”Urban noise pollution must, therefore, be controlled, such that excessive noise does not conflict with human activities and people’s perception of wellbeing. It is, therefore, essential to raise awareness to reduce noise pollution in our environment,” she said.
She said LASEPA, being the implementing organ of the ministry of the environment and water resources for regulating noise pollution amongst others, domesticated the campaign and tagged it ‘Noiseless Lagos’.
Speaking on the steps so far taken by her agency to curb noise pollution, Fasawe said that LASEPS had partnered the ministry of transportation and the National Union of Road Transport Workers to provide free hearing tests for transporters, commuters and other road users.
She said the outcome of the test results culminated in the announcement of the ban on the use of the public address system at motor parks.
The LASEPA boss said other efforts by the agency in addressing noise pollution included awareness walks on the possible loss of hearing from excessive exposure to noise pollution and school advocacy on noise pollution.
It also included the installation of the ‘NO NOISE/NO HONKING ZONE’ signage on the premises of some schools and public hospitals.
”The strategies adopted by the agency are in partnership with various stakeholders, both public and private, to discuss the problems associated with it and to find practical solutions germane to our environment,” she noted.
The LASEPA chief mentioned that other related sources of noise pollution that are equally of concern to our environment are noise pollution from religious activities, commercial and entertainment industries, generators noise and the ones from domestic animals.
Speaking, the state Commissioner for the Environment and andWater Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello said that the effort to reduce noise pollution is a collective one as he called on all relevant stakeholders in the environmental sector across the state to be actively involved in ensuring the attainment of a serene and safe environment that is commensurate with Lagos vision of a smart city.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, made the call while speaking at the 8th Edition of the Annual Stakeholders’ Forum.
Speaking on the theme, “Vehicular Noise and Hearing Deficit”, held at the JJT Park, Alausa, Ikeja on Tuesday, Bello, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, said that the State Government will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure improvement in the standard of living of residents of the State by advocating self-compliance in all facets of the environment.
According to him, the ultimate objective of the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu is to improve the quality of lives of its citizens and develop a culture of sustainable noise management in all sectors of the economy.
In his words, “This 8th edition of the annual stakeholders’ forum on ‘Noiseless Lagos’, Campaign is to emphasise the need for active contribution and commitment of all, and for everyone to see it as a collective responsibility towards ensuring a serene and safe environment that is commensurate with a smart city, with trees adorning our neighbourhoods and butterflies returning to its natural place in the environment”.
The commissioner stated that the theme, “Vehicular Noise and Hearing Deficit” is apt due to the indiscriminate honking on the streets of Lagos by motorists, and this stakeholders’ engagement is to proffer solutions as well as provide free hearing tests for everyone”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye reaffirmed the competence of the doctors on ground and urged the people to avail themselves of the golden opportunity of free hearing tests as early diagnosis would protect against further hearing loss.
“The earlier an audiologist can identify any issue through a hearing test, the easier the hearing loss is treated. Treating problems when they first arise can prevent long-term and permanent damage to your hearing. Any serious cases of hearing defects will be referred to our government hospitals for necessary attention”, he reiterated.
In his Paper Presentation at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola informed that the Ministry of Transportation, having realised the implication of inappropriate honking from motorists in Lagos State, introduced the annual October, 15th safety campaign week initiative tagged “Horn Free Day” which commenced in 2014.
He explained that the objective of the “Horn Free Day” in the State was to eliminate noise pollution coming from vehicles by discouraging the indiscriminate use of horns and sirens as well as ultimately improving the health condition of Lagosians.
While noting that transport is a significant and growing contributor to noise pollution globally, the Permanent Secretary maintained that there is a need to promote a data-gathering initiative for enhanced policy direction to address the development.
He said that even though there are no available statistics to locally show the contribution of noise pollution to the global health impact on human well-being in terms of percentage, concerted efforts and synergy are required by all stakeholders in a bid to promote a healthy environment devoid of noise pollution and significant investment in this regards will be necessary.
Also speaking at the event, the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, affirmed that the annual “Noiseless Lagos” campaign usually organise by the Agency to sensitise and create awareness on the menace of noise pollution due to the fact that noise pollution has become a recurring decimal in the state environmental protection activities, attracting more public complaints and conflicts over the years.
She described noise pollution as an unlawful act as stated in the State’s Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017, Section 177 which clearly stipulates the prohibitions on wilfulactions to cause noise pollution in any environment in Lagos State, adding that LASEPA has the responsibility of protecting and safeguarding the environment of Lagos and its citizens from all forms of environmental pollution and degradation.
In his earlier presentation, Titled: “Vehicular Noise and Hearing Deficits”, Director, Special Projects, Ministry of Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale expressed that continuous noise levels will result in hearing damage and could lead to permanent or temporary loss.
According to him, Loud noise can cause ringing, hissing, or roaring in the ears (a condition called tinnitus) which occurs immediately after exposure to the loud noise and can be an indication of early hearing damage.
