Street preachers banned in Sunyani

The Sunyani Municipal Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region has banned the activities of street preachers in the municipality, to stem excessive noise in the city.

Over 20 street preachers had their equipment seized from the Central Business District and other localities in the municipality for making excessive noise to disturb the public.

The Noise Abetment Committee made up of the Sunyani Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Police Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), clamped down on these street preachers for making excessive noise by seizing their equipment.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Sunyani Municipal Assembly, Mr Vincent Kofi Owusu in an interview with The Finder said the preachers whose equipment were seized would be educated on the effects of noise pollution, after which their equipment would be given back to them.

Some of the preachers who resisted the action engaged the taskforce in a tussle and in the process some of them were handcuffed.

Mr Owusu noted that the action by the taskforce would be intensified to clamp down on people who are noted for making excessive noise, especially restaurant and pub operators, information centres and shops.

He said they have instructed the preachers to preach at churches and not on the streets.

He said people should not tag them as people who are against the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, saying they were doing their work to reduce excessive noise, which is gradually taking over the city.

A street preacher, Kofi Ansu, whose equipment were seized told The Finder that what the assembly did was an obstacle to the preaching of the gospel.

He said the way they were manhandled by the taskforce was not the best and must be condemned by all.