Christian Council wants more talks to ...

...resolve ban on drumming

The Christian Council of Ghana on Wednesday lauded government's call for further negotiations to resolve difference on the ban on drumming and noisemaking.

The Reverend Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, General Secretary of the Council, told Ghana News Agency that both parties needed to respect the agreed declaration of 2000, which was re-affirmed by the Greater Accra Regional Permanent Conflict Resolution and Management Committee on 18 May 2001.

Mr Ferdinand Ayim, Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs had earlier at a press briefing in Accra stated government's intention to enforce laws on abatement of noise throughout the year. He said government had started negotiations with the religious bodies and the Ga Traditional Council for a compromise to avoid confrontation that might degenerate into a crisis.

Dr Aboagye-Mensah, welcoming the government's position, recalled a declaration by the Forum of Religious Bodies and the Ga Traditional Council that "all religious bodies confined crusades, conventions and usual forms of worship to their premises and avoid excessive noise during the period of the ban in the interest of peace and harmony."

The declaration also stated that "drumming and noise making beyond the levels prescribed under the Accra Metropolitan Authority Bye-Law on Abatement of Nuisance (1995) shall be monitored by a joint committee comprising representatives of all religious bodies, the Ga Traditional Council, AMA and the Greater Accra Permanent Conflict Resolution and management Committee."

Dr Aboagye-Mensah said the declaration also said all reports of infractions and infringements of the prescribed noise levels during the period should be referred to a Standing Committee, which shall have powers of adjudication and compliance.

He urged the parties to respect the declaration while government negotiated with the bodies concerned for amicable settlement. Dr Aboagye-Mensah also reiterated the call by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Christian Council that the directive should not be aimed at Christians alone.

He said Christians would continue to subscribe entirely to the content and declaration adopted in 2000 to ensure peace and harmony between the Traditional Council the Religious organisations in "the interest of our constitutional and human rights as Ghanaians, and as legal persons in a country regulated by an approved Constitution."

The General Secretary advised religious bodies to exercise restraint and reduce the level on noise as "some of us make extreme noise." Mr Prince Hodo, an Environmentalist, told the GNA that the noise level at residential areas is 55 decibels between 0600 and 2200 hours but this comes down to 48 decibels between 2200 and 0600 hours.

In areas with some commercial or light industry the levels are 60 decibels and 55 decibels in the day and night, respectively. At places of entertainment or public assembly and places of worship located in this zone the levels are 65 in the day and 60 decibels in the night.

Mr Hodo said noise is described as an acoustic phenomenon that produces an unpleasant or irritating auditory sensation, which has the effect to increase heart rate and blood pressure, shorter attention span and loss of memory.

He said other immediate effects of noise include anxiety, reduce field of vision, gastro-intestinal problems, while the long term effects are physical and mental fatigue, insomnia, bulimia, chronic hypertension, depressive or aggressive behaviour. Mr Hodo advised people to reduce the sources of noise, its transmission and receptions in their own interest.