Afrikania backs restrictions on preaching in moving vehicles, cites religious denigration

The Afrikania Mission has expressed support for restrictions on preaching in moving commercial vehicles, citing concerns about potential conflicts among passengers and the possibility of denigrating remarks against African Traditional Religion. This stance emerges during ongoing discussions surrounding Regulation 141 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I.

2519), which criminalizes preaching and hawking within public or commercial vehicles while they are in motion. The regulation forms part of a more stringent regulatory framework, with violators facing penalties such as fines, imprisonment, or both. However, the government suspended implementation of the provision on October 9, due to public apprehensions regarding its implications for religious expression and evangelism.

President John Dramani Mahama clarified that the restriction applies to vehicles in motion, not those at terminals. The regulation is not entirely novel, as the earlier Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180), also prohibited preaching and hawking in moving vehicles, though the amended regulations impose harsher penalties. The Afrikania Mission's head, Osofo Komfo Atsu Kove, emphasized that the concerns extend beyond mere noise pollution to encompass discriminatory and provocative statements directed at other religious traditions.

He specifically referenced statements like "abusumsum ye nkwasiasem" ("idol worship is foolishness"), which he deemed discriminatory and provocative. Osofo Atsu Kove argued that commercial vehicles are public spaces and should not be utilized for religious practices such as preaching, warning that permitting one religious group to do so could lead to disorder, especially if other religious groups – Traditionalists, Muslims, and others – also engage in similar activities.

He further noted that passengers should not be subjected to religious messages against their will, particularly in a confined environment where they have limited ability to leave the vehicle. Osofo Atsu Kove cautioned that allowing religious proselytization in public transport could foster chaos and disrespect, asserting that freedom of religion should not equate to freedom to harass others in a public setting.

Consequently, the Afrikania Mission is urging the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), and other pertinent authorities to uphold public transport spaces as peaceful and respectful of Ghana's religious diversity. They call on these entities to enforce regulations that maintain neutrality and respect in public commercial transport, ensuring that passengers' rights are upheld.