Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, Micheal Okyere Baafi has warned that he will shut down churches, evangelism joints at marketplaces as well as drinking bars and pubs fond of making too much noise especially bedtime.
Checks have revealed that several districts in the Constituency are for the most parts of the day polluted with noise.
Particularly in Koforidua, it is understood that the noise levels of churches and bars are most of the time unbearable for residents.
With complaints made to Hon. Micheal Okyere Baafi, he has hinted that there are plans to close down all noise polluting outfits.
“We all believe in worshipping God but it doesn’t mean you should disturb the sleep of others while worshipping. You want to worship your God, someone to wants to sleep. What I’m saying doesn’t mean I hate Churches or will go to hell. But if you won’t sleep and will pray, know that some people too want to sleep so don’t disturb them. I want to assure you very soon we will launch an operation in Koforidua,” the New Juaben South MP said as quoted on Starrfm.com.gh.
Micheal Okyere Baafi added, “We will go out there to shut down many things. Many big men in the Municipality similarly complain to me about the increasing noise pollution that disturbs their sleep at night. They say Methodist school park, there are some three prayer warriors who disturb at night.
“This stupidity won’t be entertained. Those of you who attend churches, tell your pastors that worshipping God in blaring noise is not Christianity. I want to assure you that we will talk to them but if we talk to them and they still disregard our advice we just shut down the church. Not only churches but the drinking spots, pubs disturbing people in Koforidua we are not going to sit down for these things to happen.”
Besides the churches, joints of community evangelists, drinking bars, and pubs, there are complaints about the many information centres that have sprung up.
In Ghana, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has pegged permissible ambient noise levels in residential areas at 55 decibels (dB) during the day and 48 dB at night.
For educational and health facilities it’s 55 dB during the day and 50 dB at night, while the noise level for areas with commercial or light industrial activities is 60 dB and 55 dB during the day and night respectively.
However, these are mostly not adhered to with increasing noise pollution experienced in most parts of the country on daily basis.