Ban on drumming, noise-making: GPCC, Ga Traditional Council must build consensus

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has recently raised concerns regarding the implementation of the ban on drumming and noise-making in Accra, as directed by the Ga Traditional Council (GTC).

Enforced by a task force established by the GTC, the ban aligns with preparations for the Homowo festival, celebrated by the chiefs and people of the Ga State.

This year’s ban on drumming and noise-making took effect on Monday, May 12, and will end on Thursday, June 12, 2025, as part of the traditional preparations for Homowo.

The annual ban, a significant cultural practice among the Ga people, is observed to create an atmosphere of peace, solemnity and spiritual reflection ahead of the festival, which celebrates unity, resilience and gratitude for a bountiful harvest.

Over the years, enforcing the ban on noise-making has posed challenges.

There have been instances when a group of youth in Accra entered certain churches to protest what they claimed was a disregard for the directive. Some of these challenges occasionally escalated into physical confrontations, resulting in distressing scenes.

Due to some youth taking the law into their own hands, the GTC has decided to form a task force for clearer identification.

This, we must say, is quite a laudable move, as some offenders have exploited the situation to invade churches.

However, we thought that with the task force, there would be a law, but this is not the case, as the GPCC had claimed harassment and intimidation of some of its members.

If this is the situation, then it is a cause for concern.

But the GTC had also said it was not engaged in that; rather, some of the churches were not abiding by the directive. 

The GPCC’s proposal which advocates dialogue on the matter and the acceptance by the task force is refreshing and should be pursued.

The Daily Graphic believes that this proposal is the way forward in addressing the claims and counterclaims. It asserts that such engagement should take place before the end of this year’s ban on drumming and noise-making.

This is to ensure that all grey areas regarding the ban are clarified so that next year’s ban can be implemented in a manner free from complaints from either side.

Therefore, a clear roadmap for implementation should be established.

Moreover, this roadmap and agreement should be documented and shared among stakeholders so that everyone is aware of and guided by them. 

We believe that publishing such documents in the newspapers would also be beneficial.

At this stage of the country’s development, we must avoid reaching a point where allegations of intimidation or harassment could arise.

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs should convene a meeting of stakeholders immediately.

Let us maintain peaceful co-existence between the Church and the traditional councils, as this is critical for national development and social cohesion.  

Ghana has indeed provided hope for the continent by maintaining its peace.

We believe this must be allowed to continue.

We must remain a beacon of hope for Africa.

Let us uphold the peace we are currently enjoying, and our religious and traditional authorities must lead the way.