For years, preaching on commercial buses has been a familiar part of public transport in Ghana, with pastors using long journeys to share the Christian gospel with passengers.
That tradition is now facing fresh restrictions after Ghanaian authorities began enforcing a new regulation that prohibits preaching and hawking on public service vehicles while they are moving.
Anyone who violates the regulation could face up to eight months in prison, a fine of up to $52 (£39), or both. Authorities say the measure is intended to protect passengers’ comfort and safety and prevent activities considered a nuisance.
At Accra’s Neoplan bus station, however, the change has unsettled a group of Christians who have made public transport evangelism part of their ministry.
Before buses begin leaving the station each morning, 61-year-old Pastor Boateng Bismark James leads 13 worshippers, comprising nine men and four women, in prayers for passengers and drivers.
Boateng, who has preached on commercial buses from the station since 2023, believes the ministry allows him to reach people who may not attend church.
“I preach on commercial vehicles because not everyone is able to go to church on Sunday. There are a lot of passengers who need our message of salvation to repent from their sins. We even heal the sick on some buses,” he told the BBC in Twi.
The pastor recently moved among buses preparing to depart for Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city. He spoke to the BBC before the journey began to ensure he did not violate the new regulation.
The practice usually involves preachers standing near the driver or moving through the aisle with a Bible, speaking loudly and encouraging passengers to turn away from sin. On some journeys, the preaching continues for hours.
While some travellers welcome the messages, others prefer silence during their trips.
“Some passengers are very happy with my message. Some even say they have never heard the message in church, but through my preaching they now know it is in the Bible,” Boateng said.
Chery Lokko, a passenger in her early 30s, said she found the practice uncomfortable and preferred to travel without interruptions.
“I don’t like it because they are a nuisance. Some of them spit saliva on you unconsciously, especially if you are seated not far from them, and they are a nuisance in terms of noise and saliva. I like my peace whenever I’m on public transport.”
A social media video recently illustrated the tension surrounding the practice after a passenger confronted a pastor attempting to enter a minibus.
“Get down, I say get down,” the passenger shouted.
But not all passengers want the practice stopped. Bernice Nartey, who was travelling to Kumasi, said preaching could offer encouragement to people facing difficult circumstances.
“The preaching sometimes helps people to repent. For instance, if someone is going through a stressful situation, the message of the pastor can give the person renewed hope,” she said.
Nartey, however, suggested that passengers should have a say in whether they wanted to listen.
For Boateng, the new rules are particularly concerning because preaching provides both a religious outlet and financial support for his family.
“We are very worried, because most pastors here depend on preaching to take care of their families through the monetary gifts offered by passengers,” he said.
He appealed to the government to exempt religious preachers from the restriction.
“The government should allow us to preach on the buses and alight when it is exiting Accra,” he added.
Boateng said the money passengers gave him had helped fund his children’s education.
“I have been able to take care of my children’s education. My last-born just completed university, and half of the financial support came from money I got from preaching.”
Ghana’s Constitution protects freedom of religion, although such rights are subject to considerations such as public safety.
Preaching on commercial buses was first prohibited in Ghana in 2012, but weak enforcement meant it remained widespread. The latest regulation has increased the penalties for those who disregard the restriction.
The ban applies to preaching and hawking on vehicles while they are in motion. Preachers using megaphones at lorry parks and markets are not covered by the restriction.
Rev Enoch Paul Hayes, a senior pastor with the International Central Gospel Church, said the new regulation should not be viewed as an attack on religious freedom.
He advised pastors to obey the law and make use of alternative platforms.
“There is social media as an alternative outlet, where the same message can reach thousands of people,” he said.
The Christian Council of Ghana did not respond to a BBC request for comment.
For Boateng and other bus preachers, the regulation now presents a difficult choice between changing how they evangelise, losing an important source of income or continuing their practice and risking punishment.
