By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, April 20, GNA-Mr Hope Smith Lomotey, acting Volta Regional Director of Environmental Protection Agency has warned Churches of their gullibility of the law for non-compliance with its regulations.
He said operating without an EPA permit, which is enforced by EPA’s ACT 1994 (ACT 490), constituted an offence punishable by fines and outright stoppage of operation.
He therefore entreated Churches to obtain permits before undertaking any such projects to stem the consequences of negligence saying, “permits grant you the right to operate within acceptable regulations.”
He saaid those whose premises existed before the promulgation of the EPA law should report to regularise their inclusion to avoid enforcement notices.
Mr Lomotey made these statements in an interaction with Church stakeholders including members of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches (GPCC), the Christian Council, the National Clergy Association, Ghana (NACAG), National Association of Charismatic Churches among others to dialogue on pertinent issues on noise pollution and authorisation matters.
He said the EPA, which was the lead organisation in the management of the environment in the country, had observed that many Church buildings were wrongly sited and had become reservoirs for noise pollution, especially at night.
He said noise of high decibels over a period of eight hours for six months was a public health issue warning that those who work around the noise must seek medical attention.
He said noise nuisance was any loud, unnecessary, or unusual sound or any sound whatsoever which either annoyed, disturbed, injured, endangered, or distracted from the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of any person.
Mr Lomotey, said apart from noise induced hearing losses, loud noise exposure could cause high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, miscarriage, impaired cognitive functions, stress and may affect the circadian rhythm (sleep cycles).
According to some World Health Organization (WHO) findings, noise was the second largest environmental cause of health problems, just after the impact of air pollution (particulate matter).
The Director of EPA said the permissible ambient noise as set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for residential areas is pegged not above 55 decibels during the day (6am-10pm) and 48 decibels at night (10pm-6am).
He therefore advised pastors and would-be pastors that Church building projects should be well-planned to embody all the requirements including noise protection.
Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah, Vice Chairman of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches (GPCC) said ignorance of the law was no excuse and elated that the EPA had reached out to the Church to solicit input and fashion out a feasible working relation for their common good. forward.
He said the Church must submit to authority as scriptures had said and honour to whom honour is owed and pay taxes to whom taxes were owed and remember to comply with EPA regulations.
Apostle Quampah, doubling as the Area Head, the Church of Pentecost urges the Church to maintain its political neutrality and avoid sowing seeds of discord among congregants.
He said a fruitful partnership with the EPA, the government’s accredited agent with the mandate to protect the environment could not be seen as antagonistic but together “we can reach agreements towards building a just society.”
He said the emerging phenomenon of installing public address systems on the rooftops of Churches must cease to reduce the noise pollution menace.
The stakeholders appealed to the EPA to put human face to the 18 months renewable deadline period and reduce its charges for defaulting members, so as not to exterminate most Churches from operating.
GNA