131 people in Central Region prosecuted for flouting safety protocols

The police administration in the Central Region has arrested and prosecuted 131 people for flouting the various rules and regulations instituted to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

It has also warned that personnel of the service would arrest any individual who refuse to wear face mask which had become mandatory in the country.

The Central Regional Police Commander, COP Paul Manly Awini, who gave the warning, said, the police administration would enforce the directive to the latter, and, therefore, urged residents to comply with the various protocols that had been instituted.

He was speaking at a stakeholders meeting held to deliberate on how to support education and also prevent the spread of the virus among Senior High School (SHS) and Junior High School (JHS) students.

It was attended by the Regional Directors of Health and Education, district directors of health and education, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and personnel from the Ghana Police Service.

It sought to examine expected challenges and how to formulate policies and programmes in addressing them.

COP Awini said the police would also be moving to the various campuses to ensure the enforcement of all safety protocols, especially the wearing of face masks, adding that the police would identify those not wearing the face masks and order them to do so.

COP Awini further said that, it constitute an offence for people to refuse the wearing of face mask and said that, all those who flout the law would be arrested and prosecuted.

The Central Regional Director of Health, Dr Akosua Sarpong in her presentation, said the region as of Thursday, had recorded 694 positive cases of COVID-19 with 146 recoveries.

He said 11,754 specimens were taken for testing of which 9,570 had been received and indicated that, the region was still waiting for the rest of the results.

She explained that, per the confirmed positive cases recorded, Cape Coast metropolis and the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) municipality had recorded 169 and 104 cases respectively with Awutu Senya East recording 66 cases.

Dr Sarpong further stated that her outfit continues to receive regular supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for onward supply to the hospitals and clinics and other health centres within the region.

She also said that the schools had been supplied with adequate PPE, adding that the hospital had been linked with the schools to ensure the protection of both students and teachers from contracting the virus.

The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, in his address, urged the schools to put in place adequate measures to prevent any spread of the virus, and also called on the district directors of education and health to be proactive in their work in order not to be taken by events.