Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil
Vice President of IMANI-Africa, Kofi Bentil has strongly criticized what he describes as the unlawful invasion of churches by traditionalists enforcing a ban on noisemaking in Accra, warning that such actions could lead to tragedy if not addressed by authorities.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, Kofi Bentil condemned the practice, emphasizing that Ghana operates under the rule of law, not tribal or religious traditions.
“We will soon have a tragedy on our hands if the authorities don’t stop traditionalists from lawlessly invading churches in the name of enforcing a ban of noise making!!!
“We are a nation under law, not tribal religious traditions!” he fumed.
Kofi Bentil recounted a personal experience at his church, where a group of traditionalists attempted to enter the church compound to enforce the ban, despite no noise being made.
According to him, he confronted the group’s leader, who claimed he was there to issue a warning.
Bentil challenged the trespasser’s authority, noting that the individual tried to dismiss his security personnel. After a tense exchange, the group left without incident.
He highlighted that such groups often demand money during these confrontations, exploiting the restraint of church members.
“I have encountered many many of these marauding youth attacking churches, many times; most of the time, all they want is money, but they come with force, expecting that church people will not react.
“I assure you the church people are very capable but they restrain themselves, which is why I made the post that one day we could have a problem if the attacks and invasion don’t stop,” he warned.
Drawing from his past experiences, including his time at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kofi Bentil who is also a private legal practitioner, argued that lawful enforcement, such as issuing warnings with police presence, is sufficient to ensure compliance without resorting to vigilantism.
“If someone breaks the law, deal with it lawfully, but first know if the law has been broken,” he stated.
He acknowledged the cultural significance of the ban for some traditionalists, citing a measured response from some committed traditionalists who have also condemned the invasions.
He called for reasoned discourse to find solutions, dismissing insults from detractors as unproductive.
“Anger and insults don’t solve any problem!! We have to think and work our way out of this before anything worse occurs,” he wrote.
The annual ban on noisemaking, typically enforced by Ga traditional authorities in Accra ahead of the Homowo festival, has long been a source of tension between traditionalists and religious groups, particularly churches.
Recent attempts by some youth and Ga traditional leaders to enforce the ban in various churches has witnessed scenes of stiff standoff with some church members. Some churches have also had their instruments impounded for allegedly defying the ban.
GA/KA
