General Manager of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of The Tide Newspaper, Mr. Vincent Ake has called on the Committee on Noise Pollution, Rivers State Ministry of Environment to, as a matter of urgency, take the advocacy programme seriously by enlightening the people especially those in public places, such as motor parks, churches, schools, amusement parks, cinema halls and rural communities in the state, among others.
Ake gave the advice in his office, Wednesday when the committee led by its chairman, Pastor Emmanuel Fienemika paid him a courtesy visit.
He urged the team to enlighten the public on the threat posed by noise pollution, stressing that currently, noise pollution had caused a lot of havoc in government efforts to reposition the nation’s porous economy.
According to him, “in advanced countries, noise pollution of the environment is prohibited but here in Nigeria, such is being experienced. It is high time for government to curb the excesses of noise pollutants for the environment to be safe for business and growth”.
He further advised the committee to ensure rapid enlightenment campaign against the pollution of the environment through noise borne out of musical instruments, siren and other public forms of disturbance as or, chestrated by Nigerians which at the end produces disaffection.
Ake, however, regretted that noise pollution has adverse effects and impacts on the people, environment and society, describing the emergence of the committee as a welcome development.
He, therefore, assured the team that the corporation whose duties is to educate, inform and entertain the people would partner with the members to spread the message of minimising the noise syndrome now wreaking havoc in the society.
“The committee should take seriously the task of advocacy on how to eliminate noise pollution as well as other environmental hazards in the state. We will as a matter of fact partner with your committee to enlighten the people from time to time in order to reduce to the barest minimum noise pollution which at the moment is displeasing,” he said.
Earlier in his address, Chairman of the committee, Pastor Emmanuel Fienemika who lauded the General Manager for his efforts at building better bridges of development for the corporation, said that the committee came to acquaint him of the advocacy programme against noise pollution in the state as well as seeking the corporation’s partnership to enlighten the public on the effects of such habits.
He said that the committee was created by the Ministry of Environment to educate the masses against noise pollution and also curtail the excesses of the pollutants, especially those who use their instruments to disturb the peace of the citizens.
Fienemika stressed that the task of sensitising the public on the issue called for collective efforts and therefore appealed to the corporation to join forces with the committee to rid the environment of noise pollution.
“The mandate of the team is to ensure that the pollution hampering the business of the state which has brought sicknesses, job pressure and diseases is the reason for setting up of the committee,” he said.

Bethel Sam Toby