The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has issued notices to ten street preachers and five persons engaged in the sale of products using the public address system in the Central Business District (CBD) for operating without a permit and making noise contrary to AMA Abatement of Noise Bye-Law 2017.
Public Health Officers of the Assembly issued the notices on Friday, 15th July 2022 when they stormed the CBD to enforce the Abatement of Noise Bye-Law.
Speaking during the exercise, the Head of Public Affairs at the AMA Mr Gilbert Nii Ankrah said according to the Ghana Standards Protection Requirement for ambience noise control code GS 122: 2018, the permissible noise level within commercial areas should be 75 decibels (DBS) during the day and 65dbs during the night, whilst areas with residential, trading and light industrial activities should be 60dbs during the day and 65dbs during the night.
He disclosed that, under Section 9 of the AMA Abatement of Noise Bye-Law, public preachers were expected to obtain a street preaching permit from the AMA which mandates them to go about their activities from 8 am – 10 am with adherence to the permissible noise level.
He explained that under the Abatement of Noise Bye-law, Churches or Religious institutions conducting service shall not allow music to be played or to preach at a service so loud as to cause disturbances to residents in an area, adding that, such services must be between 5 am – 10 pm.
“A person shall not within 100 metres at a hospital, clinic or other places used for the treatment of sickness or public library, blow any musical instrument, the horn of a motor vehicle shall also not make unnecessary noise “, he added.
He noted that the Assembly had acquired new dosimeters to help control noise in the city, and any person who contravenes the Bye-Law commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine, not more than 100 penalty units.
He cautioned street preachers and persons who engage in the sale of products using public address systems in the Central Business District to be mindful of the noise they produce within the city by adhering to the provision of the AMA Abatement of Noise Bye-Law 2017 to avoid prosecution.
