The Ghanaian government has announced that it will strictly enforce a ban on preaching in moving public or commercial vehicles, a practice that has become common in the country. The ban is part of a broader road safety framework aimed at reducing accidents and improving traffic law enforcement. According to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), preaching or hawking on a public or commercial vehicle while it is in motion is considered a nuisance.
The regulation applies to activities inside vehicles such as commercial buses and trotros while they are moving. It does not prohibit preaching generally, nor does it outlaw religious preaching in Ghana. A person preaching at a church, religious gathering, market or other public location is not being targeted by this provision simply because they are preaching. The restriction is specifically about preaching or hawking inside a moving public or commercial vehicle.
The government says the rule is necessary to prevent distractions to drivers and ensure road safety. Authorities argue that activities taking place inside a moving vehicle can disturb passengers and potentially distract the driver. A preacher moving through a bus aisle, speaking loudly or using equipment such as a megaphone can create activity around the driver and passengers while the vehicle is travelling.
The ban is not new, but the government is now seeking to enforce it more strictly. Ghana already had a similar restriction under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180). The earlier regulations prohibited causing or permitting a nuisance, including preaching and hawking, on a public or commercial vehicle while it was in motion. The difference now is the stronger enforcement framework and the tougher consequences under the 2026 regulations.
The penalty for breaching the ban is considerably tougher than the punishment associated with the earlier regime. Under Regulation 141 of L.I. 2519, a person who preaches or hawks on a moving public or commercial vehicle can face a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both. With one penalty unit currently valued at GH¢12, the fine range works out to between GH¢120 and GH¢600.
The ban does not apply to preachers at lorry parks and markets. A preacher standing at a lorry station with a megaphone and addressing people is not automatically caught by Regulation 141 merely because a bus is nearby. The specific restriction concerns a public or commercial vehicle while it is moving. So a preacher may still be seen at transport terminals and markets delivering sermons, provided they are not contravening another law or regulation.
The government launched a nationwide sensitisation campaign on September 10, 2026, to educate road users about the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). The campaign aims to change the behavior of road users and promote road safety. The controversy over preaching on buses comes at a time when Ghana is introducing a much broader road-safety enforcement regime, with tougher sanctions for several traffic offences and automated enforcement.
Key points
- The ban on preaching in moving buses is part of a broader road safety framework aimed at reducing accidents and improving traffic law enforcement.
- The penalty for breaching the ban includes a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both.
- The ban does not apply to preachers at lorry parks and markets, where they can still deliver sermons.
