...says Anambra state government would not tolerate any action that infringes on students’ constitutional right to learn in a calm and conducive environment.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Anambra State Government, through the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, has cautioned churches situated close to schools to refrain from excessive noise capable of disrupting teaching and learning.
The warning was issued on Wednesday following complaints of noise pollution allegedly affecting academic activities at a private school in Onitsha, the state’s commercial hub.
The commissioner spoke while addressing a petition submitted by the school’s proprietress, Lady Ngozi Udeh, against Divine Dominion Prophetic Ministry, Onitsha, which is located directly opposite the school.
According to the petition, the church, which erected its auditorium in 2024, has recently increased the intensity of its programmes, generating loud noise especially on Tuesdays when services reportedly run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The petitioner stated that the persistent noise has distracted both students and teachers, significantly disrupting teaching and learning during official school hours. She added that repeated verbal appeals to the church leadership had yielded no improvement.
While addressing both parties in her office, Chuma-Udeh stressed that Anambra state government would not tolerate any action that infringes on students’ constitutional right to learn in a calm and conducive environment.
She noted that noise pollution constitutes an offence under Nigerian law and attracts penalties once established, urging religious institutions to properly contain noise from their premises, particularly when schools are within hearing range.
The commissioner observed that the school existed in the area long before the church and encouraged the church to adopt peaceful means of coexistence, describing it as a core Christian value.
She directed the church to reschedule its weekday activities to begin after 4:00 p.m., when school hours would have ended, warning that failure to comply would prompt the involvement of the Ministry of Environment, with attendant legal consequences.
Chuma-Udeh added that while churches are free to hold activities throughout Saturdays and Sundays, external examinations such as WAEC, NECO and JAMB must always take priority, even on weekends.
In response, the Assistant Pastor of Divine Dominion Prophetic Ministry, Emmanuel Ukpabi, assured that the church would explore ways to coexist peacefully with the school and foster mutual understanding.
It would be recalled that a report in June 2025 stated that Governor Soludo issued a strong warning to roadside preachers using loudspeakers in public places, particularly markets, over noise pollution. He warned that violators of the noise control order would be fined ₦500,000.
