The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has issued a harsh warning to roadside preachers who use loudspeakers in public places, notably markets, accusing them of producing noise pollution and frustrating people.
He also banned open gospel preaching in the state, saying that everyone’s religion deserved to be respected.
Soludo made this clear in a viral video that is currently spreading on social media, in which he confronted a preacher at a market.
The governor warned the preacher against the act, claiming that it violates the law.
He highlighted that one cannot exercise fundamental rights by disturbing others through noise pollution.
He said: “If you want to preach, go to your church and preach. You can’t come to the open market to disturb others in the name of preaching.
“Go to your church and preach, and those who are interested will come there and listen to you. You can’t come to a market place and start to disturb everybody. You can’t do that. It’s pollution.
“We have freedom of religion and we protect such rights, but you can’t come to an open market where everybody is trading and start to disturb. We can’t allow that.”
The governor warned that failure to comply would result in arrest and a possible fine of N500,000.
Soludo added that the government is not only cleansing the state of fake native doctors but also fake prophets and pastors.
