The Enugu State government in continuation of it’s urban renewal policy has asked all night clubs, beer parlours and other entertainment operators to mitigate their noise pollution in the capital city, particularly in residential areas.

Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, Hon. Uche Anya gave the directive when it held stakeholders engagement meeting with the operators in his office.

Anya stated that the state government is proud that the operators chose Enugu to perform their businesses, noting that no mega city exists without night life which the state government is willing to be in partnership with the operators for decent bubbling night life.

He however regretted that his office has received no less that 200 petitions from residential neighbours to the operators, complaining about their inability to sleep at nights because of the noise pollution emanating from the business operations.

“One of such prominent citizens is the Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese. He said he can’t sleep, that he is surrounded by night clubs, he said that if I can solve the problem he will pray for the business operators and their businesses. The Governor said he can’t treat files at night because of the noise from such business premises close to the lodge.

“We need bubbling night life but not a nightmarish nightmare. We want a city that doesn’t sleep, but our children can’t sleep, they can’t do their home works because of noise. So we need to agree on how to run our night life,” Anya parlied.

Anya asked the business operators to embrace acoustic technology for operation of indoor loud music, stick to their approvals by the town planning authority and also for those who do not have approvals to approach the agency for the approval, warning that any violation of the new rules will attract closure of such premises and N5 million fine.

One of the operators, Mr. Chukwunonso Ulasi in his submission said that they were disposed to working with the state government, but that the need improved security around their business premises, as well as other infrastructure.

“We’ve built relationship with our neighbours, what we need is a threshold under which to operate,” Ulasi said. (Sunday Vanguard)