Climate Change & Energy
Eco-Conscious Citizens move to ensure enforcement on noise laws
Source: ghenvironment.com - April 5, 2021
All is set for Eco-Conscious Citizens (ECC) Day of Action Against Noise Pollution in the Greater Accra Region tomorrow, Tuesday April 6, 2021.
As part of the activities, concerned citizens, will be reporting instances of noise pollution to the local police or municipal assembly, demanding that they act on the complaints as noise pollution contravenes national law and local by-laws, by giving details of any persistent offender.
ECC Co-ordinator, Awula Serwah explained that. “We want to highlight the fact that noise pollution is a crime, under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) Section 287a; 296 g-h, and that it also contravenes the metropolitan and municipal assembly by-laws and must be enforced to ensure sanity”.
According to her, noise pollution is damaging the health of Ghanaians and the time has come for an action to be taken against the polluters.
“We want those making the complaints to be aware that the law is on their side, and that they should be assertive in making sure that the complaint is officially logged, and they are given a response as to what action will be taken by the police or the municipal assembly's environmental team”, she said.
She noted that, the action by the concerned active citizens tomorrow will help raise awareness that noise pollution is a crime, and also highlight the response of those mandated to uphold the law, adding, it will provide an opportunity to follow up on cases where necessary, or commend public officers who take seriously the damage noise pollution causes to the physical and mental health of the unsuspecting members of the public.
Awula Serwah said, without enforcement the impunity would continue and active citizens are poised to ensure that, the accepted decibel level are adhered at all times in the Metropolis in order not to inflict noise on others.
The Co-ordinator indicated that, noise teams are also going to be set up in the various localities to report incidents of noise pollution to the Police and ensure that they take action.
As part of the activities, places to be visited tomorrow by members of the ECC will include the La Police Station and the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA).