V/R: We’ll resist attempts to close down churches without permits – GPCC to EPA

The General Secretary of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council in the Volta Region, Apostle Addai Kusi has dared the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lock up their churches over excessive noise.

The EPA embarked on an operation following complaints by residents on excessive noise caused by churches in an unauthorised location causing nuisance at night.

In an interview with the media, the Director of EPA in the Region, Hope Smith Lomotey, said the move by his office was necessitated after some churches in the region failed to comply with the required standards of operating a church under the EPA’s regulations.

Mr Lomotey also noted that, although some churches have acquired permits to operate in authorised areas, they are yet to renew their permits and may also be affected by the agency’s enforcement.

According to him, church leaders must apply for a permit before establishing their churches.

“Some churches have applied for permits, others have not, so we are regularising those who have not".

“The challenge we have is that most of these churches, they establish before they apply for regularisation,” he explained.

Reacting to this, the General Secretary of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council in the Volta region Apostle Addai Kusi said although, his office has not received any notice to that effect, they will resist any attempt by the EPA to close down their churches.

He told Class News in an interview that “We’ll resist any such attempt, we’ll rather have to engage and know what stages of permit we need and then we can do business. We are legitimately doing our business in Ghana and we will want to cooperate before state agencies to make sure that peace prevails.”

“I am the General Secretary and I’m telling on authority I’m not aware, I’ve not received any notice to that effect and I’ll be glad to meet them [EPA],” he added regarding his knowledge of the threat to close uncooperative churches.