IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO PREACH IN A BUS. IT IS ONLY BECOMES ILLEGAL WHILST THE BUS IS MOVING . 1. With the greatest of respect to Reverend Dr. Bempah, I honestly believe, in good conscience, that this interpretation attributed to you is rather extreme. 2. ⁠I say this not as a government apologist but a concerned Ghanaian who do not believe that any serious Government would contemplate “shutting the mouth of the church.” Not even powerful Islamic States would succeed in such a tricky experiment. The Church is too deeply rooted in the Ghanaian society, too institutionally established and too influential in our national and political life for such an undertaking to be remotely realistic. 3. More importantly, the law in question does not purport to prohibit preaching generally. Indeed Regulation 141 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), only prohibits causing or permitting a nuisance, including preaching and hawking, in a public or commercial vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. The Keyword IN MOTION is very important. A law which says that a person should not preach while a commercial vehicle is moving is not, by that fact alone, is not saying that the person cannot preach. It only regulates the place and circumstances in which the preaching occurs but does not stop the preaching. 4. Indeed, Ghana's Constitution expressly guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and belief, including the freedom to practise and manifest one's religion under Article 21(1), while Article 26(1) similarly protects the right to practise, profess, maintain and promote religion subject to the Constitution. Importantly, thee rights do not exist in a vacuum. The exercise of one person's freedom must coexist with the rights, safety, convenience and legitimate rights of others. 5. The above means that, a passenger who boards a bus is not necessarily consenting to participate in a religious service for the duration of the journey. Neither should a driver be placed in a situation where activities taking place inside a moving vehicle interfere with the safe operation of that vehicle. 6. For decades, preaching on buses has been a familiar feature of Ghanaian public transport. While prolonged non-enforcement does not make the practice lawful or repealed, it can create a strong public perception that such conduct is accepted and culturally normal. That is where I feel the concerns of some Pastors should be given a second look. Government must recognize that suddenly enforcing a long-dormant law will naturally provoke resistance, particularly when prior engagement and sensitisation has not been done. 7. There is also a legitimate question of selectivity and targeting. If the objective is to regulate nuisance and activities that may interfere with safety or passenger comfort in moving vehicles, then the enforcement regime should be religion-neutral and conduct-based. It should not appear to target Christian preaching while ignoring comparable conduct by other religious groups, hawkers or other persons whose activities may similarly constitute a nuisance. 8. Ultimately, Ghana needs a mature constitutional democracy where religious freedom, public safety and the rule of law coexist, with laws enforced fairly and consistently but doing that doesn’t come by chance. it requires extensive engagement, effective communication and equal application of the law. That, in my respectful view, is the more dispassionate and intellectually honest position in discussing this matter.