The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly’s own 2024 bye-law on passing-out, launching and graduation ceremonies appears to contradict its recent denial that such events are subject to an 8pm deadline.
The development follows a statement issued by Management of the Assembly on Sunday, August 30, 2026, distancing itself from reports that the Assembly had imposed an 8pm cut-off on passing-out ceremonies, graduations and launching events within the municipality.
The clarification came after the Assembly’s Presiding Member, Lambert Akunzebe, was reported to have said that the restrictions formed part of the Assembly’s revised bye-laws and that organisers and venue owners could face sanctions for events that continued beyond 8pm.
However, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly (Passing Out, Launching and Graduation) Bye-laws, 2024, adopted at a meeting of the Assembly on October 30, 2024, contains an explicit provision stating that no person is allowed to perform passing-out, launching and graduation ceremonies after 8pm.
The bye-law, made under Section 104 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), further states that anyone who contravenes the provision commits an offence.
It also places liability on both property owners and event organisers.
Under the provision, a property owner who allows an event to exceed 8pm is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of 100 penalty units, while an event organiser who allows the event to go beyond the stipulated time is liable to a fine of 300 penalty units.
The document specifically identifies the regulated activities as passing-out, launching and graduation ceremonies, rather than imposing the restriction generally on all social events.
It also states that any previous bye-law on passing-out, launching and graduation ceremonies existing under the authority of the Assembly before the 2024 bye-law came into force was revoked.
The apparent contradiction has now raised questions about which regulation currently governs such events in the municipality and whether the Assembly’s management has formally repealed, amended or superseded the 2024 bye-law.
In its August 30 statement, however, Management said the Assembly’s position must be consistent with government policy, particularly the 24-Hour Economy initiative, and insisted that there is no blanket 8pm ban on events within the municipality.
The Assembly’s official website confirms that the institution operates under locally adopted policies and bye-laws, although the 2024 passing-out, launching and graduation bye-law was not readily available among the latest documents published on its website.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102.7 MHz| Bolgatanga
