The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has charged the Ghana Police Service to be firm in enforcing the law on the wearing of nose masks directive in the country.
According to NCCE, citizens’ complacency and indifference to the COVID-19 safety protocols could lead to a spike in Ghana’s active cases if they are not enforced.
Speaking at a joint press conference with the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the NCCE Chairperson, Josephine Nkrumah, said the police must ensure compliance to the health and safety protocols.
“Together, the NCCE and the GMA implore the Ghana Police Service to enforce the rules contained in the Executive Instrument related to COVID-19 including E.I. 164 Act (1012) and all other related legislation.”
Since April 2020, the wearing of face masks as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country was made compulsory.
Legal frameworks have been drawn to give full backing to the directive.
But the Ghana Health Service has expressed worry over what it says was the low level of compliance to the wearing of face masks in the country.
The Ghana Health Service’s concern was based on a survey it conducted in the Greater Accra Region where it found out that only 14.4% of the population in the region wear face masks appropriately and on regular basis.
Enforcing face mask directive in Accra challenging – Taskforce
The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) taskforce says it is challenged in its efforts to enforce the wearing of face masks directive.
The taskforce said it is also concerned that the lack of adherence to the directive may cause a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The Coordinator of the GAMA taskforce, Nii Adjei Tawiah in a Citi News interview said the taskforce has recently observed the trend of many people gathering in public spaces without masks in the metropolitan area.
“People are wondering why we are complaining because the active cases are going down, and we don’t seem to see the need to wear face masks. When lots of young people are together, it is even difficult to use the police and army because people will take photos and videos and put on social media saying that we are being too heavy-handed with dealing with people but it needs to be down. In the townships, it is difficult, it is a challenge, so we need to do more, we need to continue wearing the face mask,” he said.
