Ghana bus preachers face 8 months in jail as ban takes effect

Preachers who deliver sermons on moving buses in the West African country of Ghana could face up to eight months in prison as authorities enforce tougher traffic rules aimed at protecting passengers and limiting distractions to drivers.

The restriction also covers hawking inside moving public or commercial vehicles.

Offenders face fines of between 10 and 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both, under Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2026. 

The fines translate to between GH¢120 and GH¢600, (about Shs 40,000 - 200,000) according to Pulse Ghana. Regulation 141 classifies preaching and hawking in moving vehicles as a nuisance.

Parliament approved the regulations on May 28, 2026. Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe launched a nationwide public education campaign on September 10, 2026, to explain the changes and strengthen compliance. 

The restriction has divided opinion in Ghana, where sermons are a familiar feature of long-distance bus journeys.

Some preachers stand near drivers or walk along bus aisles delivering religious messages. Passengers sometimes give them money.

One preacher, Boateng Bismark James, 61, said the practice allowed him to reach people who did not attend church. He also said passengers’ donations helped finance his children’s education. He wants an exemption for bus preachers. 

Passengers expressed different views. Some welcomed the prospect of quieter journeys, while others said sermons offered encouragement and should be allowed with passengers’ consent.

Rev Enoch Paul Hayes, a senior pastor at the International Central Gospel Church, urged preachers to obey the rules and explore other platforms.

“There is social media as an alternative outlet, where the same message can reach thousands of people,” he told the BBC. 

Ghana first prohibited preaching on moving commercial vehicles in 2012. Weak enforcement allowed the practice to continue. 

The updated rules increase the potential jail term from 30 days to eight months, the BBC reported. The restriction targets moving vehicles; preaching at bus stations and markets is outside its scope.

The measure forms part of wider transport reforms. These include automated traffic enforcement, a licence demerit system, stricter vehicle inspections and rest intervals for long-distance drivers. The government has also lowered the legal blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05.