Hope Smith Lomotey, the director of EPA in the Volta Region, told Accra-based Citi News that the crackdown was necessary because certain churches had failed to uphold the criteria for running a church as required by EPA laws.

He claims that although some churches have the necessary licenses to operate in designated regions, they have neglected to renew them.

“We are re-registering those [Churches] who have not yet filed for permission, although some have done so. The difficulty we face is that the majority of these churches establish themselves before applying for regularization.

Citinewsroom.com reports Lomotey as saying, “But you are supposed to apply, after the application, we check and see if the place is conducive enough for such a facility.”

He continued by saying that the upcoming exercise would address locals’ complaints about churches making excessive noise in inappropriate places, particularly at night.