The Ga Traditional Council has announced a ban on noisemaking within the Ga State from Monday, May 4, to Thursday, June 4, 2026, in preparation for the annual Homowo Festival.
The directive was made public by Nii Ayikoi Otoo, President of the Ga-Dangme Council and former Attorney-General, during a press conference held in Accra on Thursday, March 26.
He explained that the annual ban is a longstanding traditional practice observed to ensure peace, solemnity, and spiritual reflection ahead of the festival. The restriction prohibits various forms of noisemaking, including the use of microphones, clapping, tambourines, and other musical instruments during religious worship.
Religious institutions have also been directed to confine their activities within their premises throughout the period. The use of loudspeakers outside churches and mosques, as well as roadside evangelism involving megaphones, has been banned.
According to the Council, the directive applies across the Ga State. However, traditional areas such as Osu, La, Teshie, Nungua, Tema, Prampram, and Kpone will announce their own specific dates for similar observances after May 4.
A joint task force, working in collaboration with the Regional Security Council and the Ghana Police Service, will be responsible for enforcing the ban, with offenders to face prosecution.
The Council further urged residents and visitors to comply with the directive, noting that the customary practice is protected under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana as part of the country’s recognised cultural traditions.
