MONROVIA – Former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has raised a red flag over the increasing noise pollution that comes with the proliferation of churches and mosques established in all quarters of the Liberian society.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
The former Liberian leader is advocating for proper zoning regulations to control the placement of churches and mosques, stressing that unregulated construction in residential areas creates noise disturbances, and as such, there must be an orderly system to protect the rights of homeowners.
Former President Sirleaf’s advocacy is in line with the Public Nuisance Law in Liberia, which regulates activities that unreasonably interfere with public health, safety, or comfort, with a strong focus on noise pollution and environmental health under the Environmental Protection and Management Law.
Accordingly, the former Liberian leader, who appeared for a recent television invite on the state-owned Liberia National Television (LNTV), argued for the implementation of systematic urban planning to regulate the placement of religious institutions.
She emphasized that while faith is important, the current lack of oversight allows for a disturbance of residential peace and an infringement on the rights of local homeowners.
“We cannot have churches in every place, any place they want to put it. They just can’t. In many places, a disturbance to people who have their homes and they live in their homes and they have to listen to all of this. It’s not fair to them. There got to be again through the zoning, there got to be places where you can put churches,” said the former Liberian leader.
“Not because there’s an empty piece of ground that the person who owns it sells it because they don’t want to develop it or they cannot develop it and they sell it and then the church decides they will put it there and they have no rules, no regulations to stop them so they go and put it there. ”
“Look, how many churches we have today. Yes, we all are good Christians and good Muslims. We like mosques. We like churches but we like for them to be orderly. We like for them to be in a system that is systemic. Something that tells you yes, you can build a church here. Other places I say you just can’t because by doing it you are infringing on the rights of others,” she added.
Under Section 41 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law, those who violate noise standards face steep penalties: a fine of up to US$15,000, up to seven years in prison, or both.
It can be recalled that sometimes last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fined LoneStar Cell MTN US$15,000 following a noise complaint from residents in Congo Town, where the company operates.
However, this has been seen as a mere bluff in the face of continued massive violation of the Public Nuisance Law of the country.
