AMA demolishes church for noise nuisance

A combined team of police and Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) task force On Wednesday demolished the Fruits of Life Ministry church building at Bubiashie for noise nuisance and operating without a permit.

Dr Simpson Anim Boateng, Director of Public Health Department of the AMA, who made this known to the Ghana News Agency, said the measure was necessary to serve as a deterrent to churches who defied orders to "stop work and produce permit".

He said when the church started putting up the building on a pavement the Okaikwei South Sub-Metro officers of the Public Health Department served a notice to representatives of the church to produce permit on the building or stop work but they defied the orders resulting in the initial structure being demolished in April 2012.

He said the pastor then continued to put up a wooden structure instead of producing permit to operate in a residential area.

Dr Boateng said residents of Bubiashie started complaining of the excessive noise by members of the church at night adding that the officers visited the premises again and served another notice for the removal of the structure or face demolition.

He said the church defied the orders again and the AMA Taskforce went to the premises at 1045 hours on Wednesday to pull the whole wooden structure down because their activities had been a serious concern in the community since the high noise levels could cause heart problems.

The pastor in-charge of the church was not available to comment.