The Madina Magistrate Court presided over by Her Ladyship Angela Attachie on Wednesday, 20th July, 2022 has imposed fines of Ghc480.00 each on four accused persons who are owners of Cloud ‘9’ and Oak Lounge for noise pollution in a residential area.

The four, Ruth Drovi, Calvin Esseka, Prince Nketiah and Hawa pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to a fine of 40 penalty units each or in default three months imprisonment.

Counsel for the accused persons lawyer Peter Wahib Khalib however pleaded with the court to be lenient with his clients since they are first offenders and pledged to ensure that his clients comply with the existing noise regulations.

Prosecuting, Bernice Ofori Nyarko, the Environmental Health Prosecutor told the Court that the accused persons operate pubs in a residential area at Shalom Estate junction along the Pantang Hospital road.

According to her, these pubs make loud noise to the annoyance and disturbance of persons who live in the neighbourhood.

She said the operators refused to comply with written notices from aggrieved residents including notices from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit to minimise the noise levels.

Furthermore, noise assessment report from the Environmental Protection Agency also indicated they exceeded the required decibel level of 48dB. Subsequently, they were charged to appear before the court.

The Municipal Environmental health officer, Joseph Quacoe told the news team that, complaints about noise pollution in the Municipality are on the increase and therefore cautioned owners of Pubs to operate in accordance with section 4 of the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly Abatement of noise bye-laws of 2017. (Recommended noise levels: Day time 55dB, 6am-10pm and night time 48dB, 10pm -6am.)