Noise pollution authorities in Ghana have asked the mosques to use WhatsApp instead of loudspeakers for call to prayer to Muslim community.
Most of the big citie3s in Africa are chaotic with street vendors, speakers blasting music, road traffic and people in huge number going about their business. The problem is compounded with excessive noise coming from churches and mosques.
In the Ghanaian capital the authorities are seeking to deal with such issues and has lately asked the mosques to avoid using loudspeakers to call the people to prayer. Instead, it is a good idea to use WhatsApp messages or mobile text messages to serve the purpose.
Environment minister Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng said why the messages to pray cannot be transmitted through WhatsApp by the imam of mosques.
He added that even though his statement would be controversial but people need to think about bringing down noise pollution.
However, many Muslims living in capital city Accra has rejected the idea of WhatsApp saying embracing to the mobile message is more difficult for them.
Fadama community mosque imam Sheik Usan Ahmed said they are not paid for their services and so how they can arrange money for sending WhatsApp or text messages to people for a call to pray.
Ahmed added they are practicing what is possible and don’t think WhatsApp or mobile text messages are necessary.
The imam calls Muslim community to prayer five times a day at prescribed times.
Muslim residents in the city have dismissed the suggestion of environment minister citing all the people are not on social media and many are not literate too.