Ghana has introduced tougher penalties for pastors preaching aboard moving public transport, with offenders facing up to eight months in prison, a fine or both, in a move aimed at improving passenger safety and comfort.
The regulation, passed by parliament in May and recently brought into enforcement, prohibits preaching and hawking aboard commercial vehicles while they are in motion.
Offenders face a maximum prison sentence of eight months or a fine of up to $52, or both.
The restrictions target a widespread practice in Ghana, where pastors routinely board buses and minibuses to preach to passengers travelling between cities.
At Neoplan Bus Station in Accra, pastor Boateng Bismark James, 61, says the new rules threaten his ability to reach people who do not regularly attend church.
“I preach on commercial vehicles because not everyone is able to go to church on Sunday. There are a lot of passengers who need our message of salvation to repent from their sins,” he told the BBC.
Boateng, who has preached on commercial vehicles since 2023, said some passengers welcomed the messages, while others ignored them.
The restrictions have divided opinion in the predominantly Christian country, with supporters citing passenger rights and road safety, while critics argue that the measures could limit religious expression.
Chery Lokko, a passenger in her early 30s, said she supported the restrictions because some preachers disrupted journeys.
“I don’t like it because they are a nuisance. Some of them spit saliva on you unconsciously, especially if you are seated not far from them,” she told the BBC.
Others, however, say preaching can provide spiritual and emotional support to travellers.
Bernice Nartey, a passenger travelling to Kumasi, said religious messages could encourage people experiencing difficult situations.
“The preaching sometimes helps people to repent. For instance, if someone is going through a stressful situation, the message of the pastor can give the person renewed hope,” she said.
The government has previously attempted to restrict the practice. Preaching on commercial buses was first prohibited in 2012, when offenders faced up to 30 days in prison, but weak enforcement allowed it to continue.
The latest regulation increases the penalties as authorities seek to address concerns about noise, passenger comfort and possible distractions to drivers.
Ghana’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, although the exercise of that right is subject to limitations, including public safety considerations.
The restrictions do not extend to religious preaching at lorry parks and markets, where pastors can still address crowds, including through loudspeakers.
Rev. Enoch Paul Hayes, a senior pastor at the International Central Gospel Church, said the regulation did not necessarily infringe on religious freedom and urged pastors to comply with the law.
“There is social media as an alternative outlet, where the same message can reach thousands of people,” he told the BBC.
For Boateng, the new rules also have financial implications. He said contributions from passengers had helped him support his family and finance his children’s education.
His youngest child recently completed university, with about half of the financial support coming from money earned through preaching, he said.
Boateng has appealed to the government to reconsider the restrictions and allow pastors to preach on buses before they leave Accra.
The new measures place religious preachers at the centre of a wider debate over how Ghana balances freedom of worship with passenger rights and safety on public transport.
