Ghana has tightened the rules on preaching and hawking inside moving public and commercial vehicles, with offenders now facing up to eight months in prison, a fine of up to GH¢600, or both.
The provision is contained in Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), which prohibits causing or permitting a nuisance, including preaching or hawking, on a public or commercial vehicle while it is in motion.
The regulation has renewed public attention to the long-standing practice of preachers boarding commercial buses and tro-tros to deliver sermons to passengers during journeys.
Under the new regulations, a person who breaches the provision can face a fine ranging from 10 to 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both. With one penalty unit valued at GH¢12, the fine ranges from GH¢120 to GH¢600.
However, the restriction on preaching in moving commercial vehicles is not entirely new.
A similar provision existed under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180). The earlier regulations also prohibited preaching and hawking on moving public or commercial vehicles, but the maximum prison term was three months.
The 2026 regulations therefore increase the potential prison sentence from three months to eight months.
The rule does not amount to a general ban on preaching or religious activities in Ghana. It specifically concerns preaching and hawking on public or commercial vehicles while they are in motion.
The development forms part of a wider review of Ghana’s road traffic laws aimed at improving discipline and safety on the country’s roads.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe has said the implementation of the new rules is intended to bring “greater discipline, accountability and safety” to Ghana’s road transport system.
The new regulations cover several other road-related offences, including dangerous driving, speeding, improper parking, overloading and other violations involving motorists and commercial transport operators.
The renewed attention to bus preaching has nevertheless sparked discussion about religious expression, passenger comfort and road safety.
Preaching on public transport has been a familiar feature of travel in Ghana for years, with some religious groups using buses and tro-tros as places to reach potential converts and share religious messages.
The new regulations mean that those who continue to preach inside moving public or commercial vehicles could face legal consequences.
The maximum eight-month prison term is not an automatic punishment for every person found preaching on a bus. The law provides a maximum sentence, while the actual penalty would depend on the circumstances and the court process.
For passengers and transport operators, the key point is that the law targets preaching and hawking inside moving public or commercial vehicles. It does not prohibit pastors, churches or other religious groups from preaching generally.
The implementation of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 is therefore expected to bring increased attention to activities that take place inside Ghana’s commercial vehicles as authorities continue efforts to enforce the revised road traffic rules.
