The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has begun its annual one-month ban on drumming and noise-making, effective Monday, May 12, 2025, through Wednesday, June 12, 2025, as part of preparations for the Homowo Festival.
The directive, announced in a statement signed by Gilbert Nii Ankrah, Head of Public Affairs at the AMA, is being enforced across communities within the Assembly’s jurisdiction, including Gamashie, Ablekuma West, parts of Kasoa, and areas around the AMA Head Office.
Described as a “sacred period of solemnity, reflection, and spiritual preparation,” the ban is a long-standing tradition in the build-up to the Homowo Festival—one of the most revered cultural events of the Ga people.
During the ban, churches are permitted to hold services only indoors and without musical instruments. Loudspeakers and sound systems are prohibited in places of worship, pubs, and for public evangelism.
The Ga Traditional Council (GTC), which collaborates with the AMA in enforcing the directive, has also suspended all funeral-related activities for the duration of the ban.
The AMA underscored the importance of the restrictions, describing them as necessary to ensure peace, harmony, and public safety throughout the culturally significant period.
“We urge all residents to exercise restraint and avoid inflammatory or disrespectful comments that may disrupt the peace,” the statement read, calling for mutual respect among all religious and ethnic groups.
The Homowo Festival, celebrated by the Ga people, commemorates a period of famine and the community’s subsequent triumph over hunger.
The period of silence and spiritual observance leading up to the festival is viewed as an integral part of its cultural and religious significance.
