Churches comply with ban on noise making

Accra, May 13, GNA - Most churches in the capital are generally complying with this years ban on drumming and noise making announced by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye at a press conference last week.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to some of the churches in the metropolis revealed that most of them have stop playing their musical instruments for praises and worship and resorted to clapping and singing.

While other churches have switched-off their Public Address (PA) systems completely and using their normal voice for the services, others too have minimized their sound levels to the confines of the church premises.

At the Good Shepherd Methodist Church, North Kaneshie, Mr Kwaku Sam, a Steward at the Church told the GNA that the church have had no problem with the ban on drumming and noise making since they were law abiding citizens and would comply fully with the directive.

He said the church was conducting the service smoothly, even without the usual public address systems.

Mr. Eric Twum, an Elder at the Temple of Praise Ministry, Swanlake -North Kaneshie said the church had reduced its sound to barest minimum to comply with the directives.

He said the Ga Traditional Council and the churches must work together to ensure peace and harmony in the capital during the period of the ban on drumming and noise making.

He said even situations where some churches might have gone contrary to the directives the officials who are sent to monitor ban would have to exercise patience and talk to the church official rather than invading their premises to collect their instruments. Mr Michael Owusu, a Deacon at the World Miracle Church, Circle Branch said the church had confined its activities to church auditorium and made sure sounds were confined within the required limits and not to disturb others.

He called for closer collaboration between the Ga Traditional Council and the churches in order to resolve some of the differences that sometimes cropped up during the ban.

He said even though the traditionalists are the custodians of the land they must make sure they do not totally impose some of their customs on the churches because the churches also have their traditions. The Reverend Brenya Amoah, a Pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church, Adarbraka Circle emphasized the need for the National Council of Churches to meet the Regional Coordinating Council and Ga Traditional Council before, during and after the period of the ban on noise making to ensure effective monitoring of the directive.

He said the traditional council should also specify what type of instruments the churches could use during the period of the ban since it becomes confusing and worrying to the churches. He said the council should educate its personnel properly on their responsibilities and not just enter church premises to collect their instruments.

Mr Francis Amonoo, Youth Financial Secretary and Accounts Officer at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) said the CAC is a law abiding church and would comply with the traditional council to observe the ban on noise making in the capital.

"If we say we are peace makers and on the contrary we fight with the custodians of the land then there will be no peace," he stressed. 13 May 07