Accra (Greater Accra) 21 May '99

The leader of Ghana Evangelical Society, Mr Immanuel Enoch Agbozo on Thursday accused the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) of serving as an agent of the Ga Traditional Council by helping it to administer the ban on drumming.

He was speaking at a press conference to elaborate on "the ban and its effect before God."

Mr Agbozo said: "It is an ... abuse of authority, powers and resources of the AMA to turn itself into an agent of the Ga Traditional Council, and champion its cause without due process of law..."

The church, he said, rejects the position taken by AMA and asked whether the Nai Wulomei have had the "private ears of the Central Government and AMA".

He said the ban is being used to denounce the work of God and "obstruct the movement of the spirit of God that brought liberation of the church and the people from idolatry and captivity".

The Ghana Evangelical Society, with nine branches throughout the country, is to launch a special mission dubbed "Mission Liberation Africa" to "extend the salvation, liberation and redemption work of God in Ghana throughout the continent".

Mr Agbozo said the mission "would provoke the church to seek the Lord's face regarding the import on the ban on drumming".

He cited the Lighthouse Chapel incident last year and said, "if the churches had stood up against the ban, it would not have been repeated this year."

Traditionalists have removed drums and other musical instruments from churches to enforce the ban on drumming imposed by the Ga Traditional Council as a prelude to the Homowo festival.