A resident of Ablekuma West, A. Asare-Nyako has petitioned key state institutions to take urgent action against noise pollution, warning that unchecked disturbances during the Christmas period threaten public health and the right of citizens to peace in their homes.
In an open letter addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and the Inspector-General of Police, the resident, Mr. Asare-Nyako, lamented what he described as an “unrelenting assault of noise” emanating from event centres, bars and similar establishments as the festive season approaches
According to the letter, excessive noise during the Christmas period goes beyond mere inconvenience and constitutes a serious public health concern that disrupts family life and undermines the sanctity of homes.
Mr. Asare-Nyako argued that Ghana does not suffer from a lack of laws on noise control, but rather from weak enforcement by mandated institutions.
The letter specifically called on MMDAs to invoke the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) to issue and enforce abatement notices against public nuisances. It also urged the EPA to rely on the Environmental Protection Act, 1994 (Act 490) and related regulations to clamp down on noise pollution, while appealing to the Ghana Police Service to apply the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) to prosecute offenders who create public disturbances.
“We are not asking for new legislation, only for the existing laws of Ghana to be upheld,” the letter stated, stressing that the responsibility lies squarely with institutions already empowered by law to act.
The open letter, which was also copied to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, referenced the President’s constitutional oath to uphold the laws of the Republic and called on heads of state agencies to support this mandate through diligent enforcement of regulations within their jurisdictions.
As a proactive measure, Mr. Asare-Nyako appealed for a nationwide pre-emptive enforcement drive ahead of Christmas, saying this would reassure citizens that their right to peace would be protected while sending a clear signal to offenders that breaches of the law would not be tolerated.
The appeal adds to growing public concern over noise pollution in urban communities, particularly during festive periods when social activities intensify across the country.
