15 Churches Face Ga Council Over Noise Ban Violation
15 Churches Summoned by Ga Traditional Council for Breaching Noise-Making Ban During Homowo Festival
The Ga Mashie Traditional Council has taken a strong stand against churches that disregard the cultural rules surrounding the holy time as the annual Homowo Festival approaches. On May 19, 2025, the Council declared that it had formally summoned 15 churches, including well-known establishments like Lighthouse Chapel and Calvary Baptist Church, for allegedly breaking the ongoing ban on drumming and noise-making that went into effect on May 12..
The enforcement team, under the leadership of Asafoatse Mankatta, observed that a number of churches were observed participating in practices like applauding during worship, which is completely forbidden during the ban, in defiance of explicit instructions from the Traditional Council. Mankatta claims that although singing is permissible during this time, producing noise in any way—such as clapping, drumming, or using loudspeakers or musical instruments—is not.
Mr. Mankatta was disappointed by some of the churches’ conduct in an interview with Adom News, saying that some congregations even turned down their formal summons. He underlined how surprised he was that the reputable Calvary Baptist Church disregarded the instruction. “We respect Calvary Baptist Church a lot, but we were shocked by their non-compliance. They were conducting their service as if there was no ban in place,” he said.
On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the churches in question are scheduled to testify before the Ga Traditional Council to explain their conduct. Mr. Mankatta issued a warning, stating that traditional authority detailed grave repercussions for noncompliance with the summons.
He went on to explain that churches that are housed in completely soundproof buildings might not be subject to fines as long as their worship practices don’t disrupt the peace in the surrounding area. The group also called for the Christian community’s complete cooperation and announced intentions to step up enforcement and monitoring starting on Sunday.
All types of public religious expression, including roadside evangelism, loudspeakers, megaphones, tambourines, and any other sound-producing instruments, are prohibited from making noise, which is a crucial part of the Ga cultural ceremonies leading up to the Homowo Festival.
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