Police to crack down on individuals who defy face mask wearing directive

Correspondence from Eastern Region

Police Commander in charge of the Odumase Police Command in the Eastern Region, has sent a strong warning to the general public to adhere to the coronavirus safety protocols, particularly the wearing of face masks or risk being arrested.

Superintendent Doris Hukporti gave the warning when she led personnel of the Command on Wednesday on a sensitization tour of the Agomanya market to sensitise traders on the need to adhere to the various COVID-19 protocols.

The sensitization exercise was preceded by public announcements on the need to observe the safety protocols in various communities with Supt. Hukporti warning that the next stage of the exercise would be to effect the arrests of recalcitrant persons.

“After this, we’ll start doing some few arrests to deter people from not wearing the mask,” she said. “If we’re able to pick up one or two people, then others will be very alert.”

15 personnel together with the Commander spent several hours in the market as part of efforts to raise awareness on the coronavirus among traders, buyers and other members of the market community.

The police commander told GhanaWeb that the exercise became necessary as a result of the lax attitude of members of the general public to the safety measures.

“We embarked on the sensitization because we saw that, in town, people are not wearing the mask and it was realized that people find it difficult wearing the masks, they know and have refused to wear,” she said.

“We believe that if we do the sensitization, it’ll make people become aware of the need to protect themselves against the covid.”

While most of the market women brought out their masks upon seeing the police, others explained that they could not wear their masks due to medical conditions such as high blood pressure.

But the Police Commander rather explained to them that it was better to protect themselves against contracting the virus due to their conditions by wearing the masks instead of refusing to.

Satisfied with the outcome of the day’s activity, Supt Hukporti said “it has been a fruitful program that we did and I think it will go a long way to help the market women.”

The team during the weekend embarked on a similar exercise to ensure that all protocols were observed at the various funerals in the area as well as on Val’s Day to ensure that members of the public did not flout any of the various restrictions.

The team’s next target is to sensitise personnel of the various drivers unions on the need to adhere to the safety protocols.