The Anambra State Government has expressed concern over the alleged noise pollution from church activities during school hours in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, made the remark while speaking on a petition written to the ministry by a private school in the city.
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The school alleged that the noise from the activities of a nearby church during school hours was disrupting its academic activities.
Ms Chuma-Udeh described the development as worrisome.
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The petition, signed by the proprietress of the school, Ngozi Udeh, was written against Divine Dominion Prophetic Ministry, located directly opposite the school premises.
According to Mrs Udeh, the church, which was built in 2024, recently intensified its activities, generating excessive noise, particularly on Tuesdays, when services reportedly run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
She further alleged that the noise was consistently distracting to students and teachers, thereby disrupting teaching and learning during school hours, despite several appeals to the church leadership.
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Addressing both parties in her office in Awka, on Tuesday, the commissioner said Governor Charles Soludo administration would not condone any act that infringes on the constitutional right of students to learn in a peaceful and conducive environment.
She emphasised that noise pollution was an offence under the Nigerian law and was punishable once established.
She, therefore, advised religious institutions to ensure that noise generated from their premises was contained correctly, especially when schools are located within hearing distance.
Ms Chuma-Udeh also urged the church leadership to explore peaceful ways of coexisting with the school, in alignment with the true values of Christianity, and given that the school had existed in the area before the church was built.
She ordered the church to reschedule its weekday activities to commence from 4:00 p.m., after school hours.
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She warned that failure to comply with the directive would compel the ministry to involve the Ministry of Environment, with the attendant legal consequences.
The commissioner stated that while churches may hold activities from morning to evening on Saturdays and Sundays, external examinations, such as WAEC, NECO, and JAMB, must take precedence, even on Saturdays.
Responding, the Assistant Pastor of the church, Emmanuel Ukpabi, promised that the church would work harmoniously with the school to ensure mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
(NAN)
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