“Would JESUS Be Arrested For Preaching Today?” – Clergyman Challenges Mahama, IGP Over Ban On Preaching In Moving Buses
A Ghanaian clergyman has questioned President John Dramani Mahama and the Inspector General of Police over the renewed enforcement of the law banning preaching in moving public vehicles, asking whether Jesus Christ himself would be arrested for evangelism under the current regulations.
The reaction follows the coming into force of Ghana’s *Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519)*, which classifies preaching and hawking inside a moving public or commercial vehicle as a nuisance.
Under Regulation 141 of L.I. 2519, anyone caught preaching in a moving trotro or bus faces a fine of *10 to 50 penalty units (GH¢120 to GH¢600)*, up to *eight months imprisonment*, or both. The law was approved by Parliament on May 28, 2026, after the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 was assented to by President Mahama in December 2025.
The Transport Ministry, led by Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has begun a nationwide sensitization campaign to enforce the law, which also covers hawking in moving vehicles, overcharging and wrongful parking.
But the move has sparked sharp criticism from sections of the clergy.
In an interview shared by LeakyGhana, the unnamed clergyman argued that *”You can regulate traffic, not faith,”* insisting that public buses have become a vital mission field for reaching souls who may never enter a church building.
“Would JESUS be arrested for preaching today if He boarded a trotro from Circle to Kasoa? Evangelism is a Christian duty, not a nuisance,” he queried, putting the Presidency and the IGP on the spot.
Supporters of the law say loud preaching in moving vehicles distracts drivers and infringes on passengers’ comfort and safety, while opponents argue it violates freedom of worship guaranteed under Article 21 of the 1992 Constitution, though subject to public interest.
The ban is not entirely new. Regulation 116 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180) already prohibited preaching in moving vehicles, but enforcement was weak. The 2026 regulations have increased the punishment and introduced stricter enforcement tools including Traffitech-GH and a demerit point system.
The clergyman is calling on government to dialogue with religious leaders and create designated preaching points at lorry stations and markets, rather than criminalizing evangelism on buses.
As of now, preaching at lorry parks, markets and other open spaces remains lawful. It is only preaching *inside a moving public or commercial vehicle* that is prohibited.
Source: http://leakyghana.com
