Residents petition LAMATA, LASEPA over pollution from Strabic construction coy

Residents of Olaiya Close located at Williams Layout Estate, Akowonjo area of Lagos state have petitioned both the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) over noise pollution perpetrated by Strabic Construction Limited located in the area.

In a separate letter addressed to LASEPA and LAMATA and on July 28 and May 26th, 2017 respectively, the residents association complained that there are ongoing business activities being spearheaded by Strabic Construction Limited in their area, adding that if it is unchecked, their safety and health would not be guaranteed.

These activities according to the residents include: high degree of fabrication works, high degree of welding and smouldering and demolition and construction works such as removal and replacements of walls and rooftops.

Emphasising that most of these activities take place at both day and night almost every weekends, the residents stated “for some time now, the conducts of this company are depriving us of basic requirements of life, including: daily stipulated rest and sleep and quiet serene and conducive environment devoid of nuisance; thus we end up closing our windows to ward-off noise nuisance and avoid the sight of naked workers notably men displaying their private parts when bathing indiscriminately and openly within the premises”.

Other dangerous effects of the pollution coming from the Strabic Construction Company, according to the residents are insomnia, cardiorespiratory infections, stress, restlessness and other sicknesses that may arise due to lack of sleep.

The residents association therefore appeals to LASEPA and LAMATA as a regulatory agency with the mandate of protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of Lagos State citizens to ensure the relocation of the day and night welding and heavy fabrication works of Strabic Construction Limited at under Bridge Bus Stop.

It also appeals for the construction and relocation of restroom for its workers to the frontal part of their building so as to eradicate the nuisance caused by loud noise from music, gisting and smoking both day and night.

The residents also wants the agencies to enforce usage of bathrooms to eliminate male workers from bathing outside and exposing their residents to their nakedness in the public, just as they appeal for implementation of operational time for both closing and opening.

They equally urged for the immediate removal of iron and workshop and iron benders from the open space backyard as they cause high metallic noise caused by bending, reshaping of these iron rods.

The Olaiya Close Association comprising of landlords, tenants and residents had on April 21st2017 written officially to the Managing Director of Strabic Construction Company, Mr. Lekan Adebiyi in a letter titled: “Notification Of Noise Pollution and Dean For Redress” but the problem has continued unabated.

As a follow up and most recently, the residents equally wrote another letter to LAMATA on the August 9th reminding the agency about their plight.

Part of the letter reads “We write to remind you of our complaint letter dated May 26th, 2017, made to your office in respect of the noise pollution , health hazards and noise nuisances being perpetrated by your client-Strabic Contruction Limited.

“As a responsible law abiding citizens, we officially submitted various letters of complaints to the management of Strabic Contruction Limited. Additionally, Olaiya Close Residents Association also sent representatives who met with the Managing Director/CEO of Strabic to lodge complaints”, they stated

The residents association added “Sir, for the records, it is worthy of note that up till date many unimaginable anti-residential activities are still being perpetrated, day and night and weekends within and at the back space yard of your client-Strabic Construction Limited”.