Ghana's parliament passed a new law in May that bans preaching and hawking on moving public service vehicles. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Under the law, anyone found preaching in public service vehicles faces up to eight months in prison, a fine of up to $52 (£39), or both. The new regulation targets preaching and hawking on vehicles while they are in motion, classifying both as a nuisance and citing the safety and comfort of passengers.
Ghana is a predominantly Christian country where preaching on public transport is widespread. On long-distance buses, pastors can often be seen and heard preaching the gospel, reading from the Bible and calling on sinners to repent. The faithful sometimes offer money to the preachers to support their endeavours.
Boateng Bismark James, a 61-year-old pastor at Gospel Light church, has been preaching on commercial vehicles leaving Neoplan station since 2023. He told the BBC in Twi, a local language: "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. We even heal the sick on some buses."
Wearing a clerical collared shirt, Boateng moves through rows of buses loading passengers before boarding one bound for Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city. Some travellers listen closely as he delivers his message. Others try to ignore him, browsing their phones, making calls or chatting among themselves.
Critics say preaching on moving vehicles is a nuisance and a safety risk, as it could distract the driver, while supporters argue that evangelism is a Christian duty and should be protected under the freedom of religious worship.
One woman in her early 30s, who wishes to be identified as Chery Lokko, says she prefers to travel in peace. "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, and they are a nuisance in terms of noise and saliva. I like my peace whenever I'm on public transport."
In one video widely shared on social media recently, a passenger on a minibus is seen angrily confronting a pastor attempting to board.
Bernice Nartey, a passenger travelling to Kumasi, says pastors should be allowed to preach, but only with passengers' consent. "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 says.
Boateng says he was shaken by the regulation and wants religious preachers to be given an exemption. "We are very worried, because most pastors here depend on preaching to take care of their families through the monetary gifts offered by passengers," he says. "The government should allow us to preach on the buses and alight when it is exiting Accra," he adds.
For Boateng, preaching is not only a religious calling but also an important source of income. "I have been able to take care of my children's education. My last-born just completed university, and half of the financial support came from money I got from preaching."