By: Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, August 20, 2025: The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, has announced that in the coming days, the Agency will begin taking action against churches and mosques that continue to disturb communities with loud music during crusades and worship services.
Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized that while the EPA respects freedom of religion, the agency has a duty to protect citizens from noise pollution, which he described as a growing public health and environmental concern.
He disclosed that several complaints have been filed by residents across Monrovia and other parts of the country, citing sleepless nights, stress, and disruption of daily activities caused by excessive noise from religious gatherings.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing at the Charles Gbenyon Press Hall on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, the EPA boss warned that noise pollution may have contributed to the poor performance of Liberian students in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). “Even in marketplaces, you find individuals placing down loud sound boxes and blasting music nonstop, forgetting that they are infringing on the rights of others,” he stressed.
According to him, the Agency’s upcoming enforcement will not only target religious institutions but also individuals and businesses who are caught playing loud music in streets and other public spaces.
He noted that noise pollution has become a silent but serious environmental problem that requires immediate attention in Liberia.
Based on this, he urged the media to help raise public awareness on the matter, emphasizing that religious leaders should find more responsible ways of spreading their message.
“You don’t have to make noise. People who want to hear the word of God will come to your church. You don’t have to put your speakers outside to force the entire community to listen,” he cautioned.
The EPA Director concluded by announcing that the new regulations will soon be rolled out to curb these practices, warning that violators will face legal consequences once the law takes effect. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
