Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has reinforced the state’s ban on unauthorized public preaching, emphasizing the need to curb noise pollution in marketplaces.
In a viral video, Governor Soludo confronted a preacher using a loudspeaker in a market, believed to be Ochanja Market in Onitsha. He rebuked the preacher, saying:
“You want to preach the word of God, you go to your church, are you getting me? You are causing pollution. You cannot come to a marketplace and begin to disturb everybody here, are you getting me?
“You want to preach the word of God, you go to a church. The person who wants to come to your church will come to your church, but you don’t force everybody.
“In a marketplace, people have come to trade, it’s not a church, so you don’t do that.
“They would have arrested you for contravening the law, OK? You don’t come out and take space and start preaching. It’s noise.”
Soludo stressed that while religious freedom is respected, marketplaces should not be turned into makeshift churches. His administration has imposed a ₦500,000 fine on violators, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining order in public spaces.
