Musical Works On ?Wheels? ? A Source of Excessive Noise

The excessive noise made by mobile advertisers and merchants of musical works who move from one spot to the other selling audio cassettes and CDs on the streets of Accra is causing a lot of nuisance to residents in the metropolis, especially those in the commercial centers.

This activity is in direct contravention of sections of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) bye laws, which states ?No person shall use any place for sale of records or other recorded music unless the place has been inspected, approved and licensed by the AMA. No person shall play or cause to be played any re1corded music in public for advertisers purposes so as to cause nuisance to the public?.

Again section 10 states ?any person who contravenes any provisions of these bye-l was commits offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ? 200, 000 or in default to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or to both?.

Describing their activities as a nuisance, a resident of Adabraka, Mr. Matthew Mode, said it was necessary for the AMA to take immediate steps to halt the activities of these people, who also caused traffic jams while selling the musical works.

Mr. Mode, who seems to know much about the AMA bye-laws appealed to the assembly to enforce the relevant regulation to discourage the practice, which was gaining popularity among some people.

The Greater Accra Regional Fire Office, Mr. Samuel A. Yankey, also condemned the act saying, ?it is just a nuisance?.

He said when the mobile advertisement started, only one vehicle passed by his office located at Makola and he was optimistic that the AMA would stop it at the initial stages.

However, he said more people had joined the business and they passed by in their numbers with music bashing, adding that if the AMA did not act soon, it would be difficult to control the problem since the number of the operators were increasing everyday.

Commercial centres are known to be noisy and chaotic but the recent increase in the new trend of advertisement, which is said to be cheaper, has contributed to excessive noisemaking in the metropolis in recent times.

A trader at UTC, Accra, Madam Sarah Yerenkyi, said the activities of the boys were a source of worry to her and her fellow shop owners but she had not made nay official complaint to the AMA.

She said it was very annoying to see the hawkers take over the roads to transact business by showing the tapes and CDs to motorists in traffic.

She said although she knew very little of the AMA bye laws she felt it was wrong for those engaged in the business to invade the road.

Others also expressed different opinions about the mobile advertisement saying that there was nothing wrong it because it was done in other countries. They however, did not condone the excessive noise made by the mobile advertisers and advise them to reduce the noise ambient to acceptable levels and to also find a good place to park to avoid creating traffic congestion.

They also said people getting angry at their style of advertisement was not a good sign as they may not patronize the albums, and cautioned them to design better ways in order to make it attractive for prospective buyers.

Noise making is however not limited to commercial centres alone.

Residents in some homes bear the brunt of excessive noise from drinking spots and church activities as well as other social gathering such as funerals, parties and outdooring ceremonies.

People in such areas maintain they have continually endured excessive noise through these activities and were therefore no longer able to converse in undertone among themselves as they were always compelled to shout above the level of noise in their area to make themselves audible.

The Head of the Metro Planning Unit of the AMA, Mr. Timothy Oman, in an interview said the mobile music advertisers did not have AMA permit, and there were operating illegally.

He said his unit would prompt the Head of the Metro Guard and the legal department of the AMA to deal with the situation before it gout out of hand.