Ghana bans preaching on buses with jail phrases for offenders

Before the morning rush begins, the sound of reward and worship fills the Neoplan bus station in Ghana’s capital, Accra, as a gaggle of Christians collect to arrange to evangelise on automobiles taking travellers throughout the nation.

Amid drumming and dancing, Boateng Bismark James leads 13 worshippers, 9 males and 4 girls, in prayer for drivers and passengers travelling to locations throughout Ghana.

Ghana is a predominantly Christian nation the place preaching on public transport is widespread.

On long-distance buses, pastors can usually be seen – and heard – preaching the gospel.

Sometimes they stand within the stairwell subsequent to the driving force, at others they stroll up and down the aisle studying from the Bible and calling on sinners to repent on the tops of their voices. They don’t cease even when the journey lasts for a number of hours.

The devoted typically supply cash to the preachers to assist their endeavours.

But a brand new legislation means this acquainted apply could possibly be coming to an finish.

Anyone discovered preaching in public service automobiles faces as much as eight months in jail, a fantastic of as much as $52 (£39) or each.

The new regulation, handed by parliament in May, and which has began to be enforced in latest weeks, targets preaching and hawking on automobiles whereas they’re in movement, classifying each as a nuisance and citing the protection and luxury of passengers.

Boateng, a 61-year-old pastor at Gospel Light church, has been preaching on business automobiles leaving Neoplan station since 2023.

“I preach on business automobiles as a result of not everybody is ready to go to church on Sunday. There are plenty of passengers who want our message of salvation to repent from their sins. We even heal the sick on some buses,” he instructed the BBC in Twi, a neighborhood language.

Wearing a clerical collared shirt, Boateng strikes by means of rows of buses loading passengers earlier than boarding one sure for Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest metropolis.

We communicate to him earlier than the bus departs to keep away from breaking the legislation.

Some travellers pay attention intently as he delivers his message. Others attempt to ignore him, looking their telephones, making calls or chatting amongst themselves.

“Some passengers are very pleased with my message. Some even say they’ve by no means heard the message in church, however by means of my preaching they now know it’s within the Bible,” he says.