Education on noise level underway - Minister

Sheikh Ibrahim Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Thursday said an education campaign on the level of noise making is currently underway in the Accra metropolis to educate the populace on the acceptable level of noise.

The campaign, being undertaken by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in conjunction with the Police, National Commission on Civic Education and the Environmental Protection Agency, is to pave the way for the enforcement of existing laws and regulations on noise making.

Sheikh Quaye told a press briefing in Accra that to be able to better managed such conflicts, a five-member Permanent Conflict Resolution and Management Committee was set up last year to deal with all conflicts bordering on chieftaincy, land, religion and customary practices.

The Management Committee also put in place a monitoring team comprising the Office of the Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Police, AMA, Religious Bodies and Traditional Authorities which managed to prevent many clashes on excessive noise making.

The Regional Minister said the Management Committee had also met with both the religious bodies and the traditional leaders and briefed them on the AMA's (Abatement of Nuisance) bye-laws and the EPA's ambient noise levels guidelines for them to know the extent to which one is permitted to make noise.

He said the outcome of the meeting with the two sides was "very positive", with the various delegations being "urged to pass on the message to their flock". Sheikh Quaye said the meeting recommended that an appeal should be made to all sections of the public to exercise tolerance since it was the only way of living peacefully in a multi-ethnic society.

It also recommended that inflammatory speeches, writings and comments should be avoided while the law and regulations should be maintained. The meeting said those who took the law into their own hands should be dealt with resolutely. "I endorse the recommendations of the Committee and seek your assistance to carry them out," the Minister said.

"Since the maintenance of the rule of law will be the backbone of conflict management and resolution in this matter of the ban, it is necessary that the public should be aware of the relevant parts of the Criminal Code and AMA Bye-Laws and regulations on noise abatement and nuisance." He appealed to the media to help disseminate information on the laws on noise making and educate the public on the necessity to abide by them.