Regional News of Monday, 11 February 2019

Source: starrfm.com.gh

Reduce the noise during dawn prayers – Shama DCE tells Muslims

File photo File photo

The Shama District Assembly has directed the leadership of the Muslim community in the district to reduce the volume of the Public address system they use for their dawn prayers

The assembly has again entreated the Muslims to stop using outside “horns” after they have finished their dawn prayer calls.

District Chief Executive Joseph Amoah in a meeting with religious leaders in the district stated that after the dawn calls, the “horns” inside the mosque should only be used for the recitals.

“We have asked our Muslim community to limit the noise. It should not above the accepted number. If it goes above the number, we will take action against them. And then again we have agreed that after call to worship they should disconnect the outside system when they are doing the recitals. So when the people respond to the call for prayer and they are reciting the Quran, you must disconnect the system outside,” he said.

The DCE also expressed worry at the activities of disc jockeys “DJs” at funerals.
He explained some of them play continuously throughout the night and also at a loud volume thereby creating nuisance.

Mr. Amoah encouraged residents to report DJs who disturb their peace for appropriate sanctions to be meted out to them.

Last year, Muslims in the country were outraged over a suggestion by a minister that they should use text messages invite believers to prayer.

Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng on April 10 proposed the use of mobile applications like text messages and Whatsapp in calling Muslims to prayer.

He observed places of worship in the country had become places of noisemaking and questioned why worshipers are unable to contain the noise they make within their auditorium or premises.

“In the house of worship, why is it that the noise will (not) be limited to the house of worship…and again maybe from the mosque, why is it that time for prayer would not be transmitted with a text message or WhatsApp so the Imam will send WhatsApp message to everybody that the time for prayer is up, so appear,” he said at a news conference.

According to the group, the utterances of the Minister has not been palatable thereby causing unnecessary tension in the country hence the demand for his removal.