Noise levels in Accra increasing steadily
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, Ghana's capital city is gradually becoming the hub of
noise in country, in an ever-increasing level, with the
latest trend of noise-making being created by sellers of
audio and video compact discs and cassette tapes.
They have adopted the style of mounting loud speakers in
pick up trucks and vans, blaring out loud music to sell
recorded music compact discs (CDs) and videos, in the face
of existing laws that strictly bar noisemaking. This act
they sometime called sales promotion to sell new audio and
visual albums to buyers on the streets.
Meanwhile, the city authorities, the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly (AMA), and the police have done little or virtually
nothing to bring such culprits to book.
It has thus become the order of the day for anybody to put
loud speakers on top of his car, and turn the volume up to
irritatingly high levels.
This is because the keepers of the laws are either lax or
silent.
Meanwhile, existing bylaws on noisemaking in the local
government laws, including section 79 of the Local
Government Act, 1993 (Act, 462), frowns on such practices.
The law states among other things "No person shall use any
place for the sale of record or other recorded music, unless
the place has been inspected, approved and licensed by the
Assembly."
This law appears not to apply to the area in front of the
Melcom Shopping Arcade in Accra, which is just a few meters
from the headquarters of the AMA.
In this area, individuals have mounted loud speakers to
attract people to patronise their CD's and cassettes in
total disregard of the existing law.
That notwithstanding, others have turned the pavements into
church grounds, using public address systems to preach,
causing a loud noise, which is a great nuisance.
Quite intriguing, is the fact that in recent times religious
buildings are being sited in residential areas, a typical
example being a mosque cited in the middle of houses at
Kotobabi (Pig Farm), and a church at Teshie that has been a
source of worry to residents of the neighbourhood.
Churches and mosques have also been sited in the middle of
communities creating a nuisance for residents around with
their loudness. Residents of areas such as La Wireless,
Avenor, Fadama, New Town and Nima have not been spared this
nuisance from churches and mosques.
A hotelier (name withheld) at Osu told this site in an
interview, "it is pathetic that the AMA bylaws are not
biting at all, as a number of activities enshrined in the
law are not obeyed, but people are rather causing a nuisance
with their activities."
"It saddens me that most mobile phone service providers have
also joined the fray to sell their SIM cards in an open
truck at a cheaper price, but if one is not moved by these
activities, wait till they get to your neighbourhood," he
said rhetorically.
It is clearly stated in the AMA's bylaw that "When one
contravenes any provision of the bylaw he commits an offence
and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢200,000 or in default to a term of imprisonment not
exceeding 6 months or to both, and in case of continuing
offences, the offender is liable to an additional fine of
¢2,000 in respect of each day on which the offence
continues."
The effects of noise pollution on task performance have been
well studied, with noise pollution impairing task
performances, increasing errors, and decreasing motivation.
Reading attention, problem solving, and the memory are most
strongly affected by noise.
Noise produces negative after-effects on performance and
particularly, in children it appears that the longer the
exposure, the greater the damage therefore such acts must
not be entertained in residential areas especially densely
populated housing areas.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO),
uninterrupted sleep is a prerequisite for good physiological
and mental functioning in healthy persons.
Noise pollution has been a major cause of sleep
disturbances. Apart from the various effects on sleep
itself, noise pollution during sleep causes increased blood
pressure, increased heart rate, increased pulse amplitude,
vasco-constriction, cardiac arrhythmias, and increased body
movement.
These effects do not decrease over time. Secondary effects
include fatigue, depressed moods and well-being, and
decreased performance.
Combinations of noise and vibration have a significant
detrimental effect on health, even at low sound pressure
levels.
Relevant Links
As the population grows, there is increasing exposure to
noise pollution, which has profound public health
implications, creating the need for action at the local
level, as well as improved legislation and management.
Urban noise pollution produces direct and cumulative adverse
health effects by degrading residential, social, working,
and learning environments, with corresponding real
(economic) and intangible (well-being) losses.
WHO has documented seven categories of the adverse health
effects of noise pollution on humans.
Hearing damage is related to the duration and intensity of
noise exposure, and occurs at levels of 80 decibels or
greater, which is equivalent to the noise of heavy truck
traffic, with children being more vulnerable than adults.
Ghanadot
