Noise making: Minister was right to cause Pastor’s arrest - EPA Boss

The Ashanti Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Samuel Oteng has stated that the regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah was right to have caused the arrest of the Head Pastor of House of Bethel Ministries for creating ‘unnecessary noise’ at odd hours.

The Minister is said to have stormed the church located ta Anwomaso High Tension in a Rambo style and attempted to stop the congregation from their all-night service arguing that they were a nuisance in the area.

The enraged Minister who left the scene, returned minutes later with armed policemen to arrest Rev. Kwame Takyi thus bringing the service to an abrupt end.

Some Christians have heavily criticised Mr Osei Mensah over his action.

But speaking with Lantam Papanko on Ultimate Breakfast Show, the EPA Director said there was nothing wrong with the Minister causing the arrest of the Pastor.

‘The regional Minister has the right to cause the arrest of the Pastor. He is the regional minister, he controls the security of the region. If you are making noise, it's a security issue, there was nothing wrong for him to make the arrest,’ he stated.

He indicated that residents are eligible to arrest people who make noise in their communities urging them to take a cue from the Minister’s action and not to take the laws into their hands.

According to him, noise making by churches should not be swept under the carpets saying complaints by residents have been ignored.

He wondered why some churches make noise when residents are supposed to be sleeping in the nights after a hard day’s work.

Mr Oteng reminded Ghanaians especially churches that the country is governed by laws.

‘Yes I think others should take a cue from the Minister’s action by causing the arrest of people who make noise. We should learn from it, its unfortunate that religious bodies are also involved in noise making, they are the places supposed to be obeying the law.

‘There have been series of complaints but they keep making noise, with the drumming, clapping, loudspeakers, instead of confining the noise to themselves, they rather disturb the whole community. I think people should learn from what has happened, there should be a sober reflection for everybody, the churches, and all those institutions equally making noises, it's not only the churches,’ he explained.

He indicated that only one meter is available to measure noise in the Kumasi metropolis saying measuring of noise has now become a herculean task for them.

He advised the churches to erect acoustic materials to prevent the noise from disturbing residents during worshipping.