Noise Pollution at Labone: 355 Lounge Heightens Nuisance

One of the operators of the numerous lounges, restaurants and pubs in the plush Labone area in Accra, 355 Lounge, located at Orphan Crescent in Labone, which stands accused of excessive noise that is creating huge problems for the residents has heightened its activities.

The catchment area of the lounge is heavily polluted with noise and residents are scared that there will be more noise from the place during the Easter festivities.

Surprisingly, the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), appears too weak to ensure that 355 Lounge stops the nuisance that is affecting other persons in the area, although there have been several complaints to the two outfits.

There are documents from the LaDMA that point to the fact that the 355 Lounge operators were not doing things right and had flouted the bylaws of the assembly.

LaDMA conducted a noise audit and concluded that noise from 355 Lounge was high and was indeed disturbing residents close to the lounge.

Per the documentation, the decibels recorded by the audit team, led by Evans Tordzro, indicate the noise from the lounge between 12 am and 2 am was high.

The noise audit team from LaDMA observed that 355 Lounge operates a lounge that qualifies as a nightclub with loud music.

The assembly recommended that activities relating to the operation of the lounge should cease with immediate effect until further notice.

It was also recommended that LaDMA should organize stakeholder engagement with the residents in the area, especially the adjoining houses.

LaDMA was to determine if the 355 building was suitable for the intended purposes of a nightclub or lounge, and that if the assembly permits 355 to be used for the purpose intended, there should be proper soundproofing, such as the use of acoustic materials to contain noise within the lounge.

Petition To Former Greater Accra Minister

Some residents of Labone in Accra who are at the receiving end of noise pollution emanating from the 355 Lounge, petitioned the the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, for the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to step in, as the activities of 355 Lounge were creating an inconvenience in the area.

The residents want the Regional Minister to ensure that the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) enforces byelaws on noise pollution in the area.
The petition to the Regional Minister comes at the heels of numerous attempts by the residents to get the 355 Lounge to see reason to work on the noise level at the lounge.

Again, LaDMA has not been proactive in performing its legitimate duty to bring 355 Lounge to order, according to the petition.

The petition, dated December 13, 2023, said: “Several months of effort to get LaDMA to restrain 355 Lounge from operating a night club in the area without a statutory permit and curb the excessive noise from the audio system from the lounge have proved futile.’’

According to the petitioners, they reported the matter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who asked 355 Lounge to stop their activities in September 2023.

It is equally important to note that 355 Lounge was summoned to the La Magistrate Court on September 29, 2023, to appear before the court on November 7, 2023, to answer questions relating to the making of excessive noise and failure to obtain a building permit.