Lagos State Government Tuesday, sealed the Headquarters Church of the Lords Chosen Church, along the Apapa – Oshodi Expressway over alleged gross environmental abuse and erection of structures along Odo Asimawu Drainage Channel, System 6c.
While monitoring the state of Lagos environment, the Commissioner for the Environment noticed massive trading under the Ijesha flyover bridge along the Apapa Oshodi Expressway and large scale environmental degradation arising from the activities of the traders.
Further inspection round the premises revealed that the church does not dispose the solid waste generated properly, while as a matter of fact, it openly burns waste generated inside the church premises, thereby exposing the lives of its worshipers to serious health hazard.
A further investigation also revealed that a substantial part of the 1 kilometer church Auditorium was built on the Odo Asimawu drainage channel thereby impeding the flow of storm water, as well as inhibiting effective performance of the channel.
It was also discovered that the Church built all its toilets on the canal and deliberately discharges the raw human waste into the canal.
Bello, explained that in order to prevent an outbreak of epidemic, as well as protect the lives of its worshippers, the state government was left with no other option but to seal the church Auditorium.
He therefore, directed that, for the church to be reopened it must abate all the nuisances noticed as well as remove all the encumbrances along the drainage channel.
Other conditions stated for re opening include: Completion of sanitization of the entire church environment, putting in place a proper solid waste disposal facility, stop further refuse burning, removal of all structures on drainage channel, building of a new toilet facilities, and ensuring proper disposal as well as evacuation of solid/human waste dumped inside the canal among others.
While commending the cooperation and non resistance of the Church authorities, the commissioner observed their willingness to comply, but stated that the state government would only unseal the auditorium as until all the environmental nuisances were abated.
Bello, assured that that government would continue to promote a cleaner, habitable and conducive environment to residents irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation in other to attain a cleaner and sustainable environment in the state.
The commissioner further restated the commitment of the administration to its environmental regeneration and renewal programmes geared towards attaining a cleaner and habitable environment that would be the pride of all citizens
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