SAN FRANCISCO, October 08, (THEWILL) – The headquarters of the Lords Chosen and Charismatic Revival Church, along the Apapa – Oshodi Expressway in Lagos has been shut down.
The Lagos State Government which shut down the Church and prevented the members from having their Sunday service justified its action as it accused the Church of gross environmental abuse and erection of structures along Odo Asimawu Drainage Channel .
The State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, who ordered the closure during an environmental monitoring exercise, said on Tuesday that there was massive trading under the Ijesha flyover along the Apapa Oshodi Expressway and large scale environmental degradation arising from the activities of the traders.
He accused the church of improper disposal of solid waste generated, saying the Church also burns waste generated inside the church premises, thus exposing the lives of its worshipers to serious health hazard.
The Church was also accused of building a substantial part of its auditorium on the Odo Asimawu drainage channel thus impeding the flow of storm water, as well as inhibiting effective performance of the channel.
The Church was also accused of building all its toilets on the canal and deliberately discharging the raw human waste into the canal.
The commissioner further said its decision to shut down the Church’s headquarters was to prevent an outbreak of epidemic in the area and protect the lives of the worshipers.
The Commissioner said the Church must abate all the nuisances noticed as well as remove all the encumbrances along the drainage channel before it would be opened.
He however commended the cooperation and non resistance of the Church authorities even as he assured 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.
