Lockdown: We may resort to using force soon – COP Kofi Boakye warns

Director of Research, Planning and Transformation of the Ghana Police Service has warned that security agencies may have no other option than to apply force in the enforcement of the lockdown directive soon.

This is because people are taking advantage of the exemptions that came with the directive thus making the work of enforcers difficult.

Speaking to the media at the Police Headquarters, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye said “people are taking advantage of the exemptions to do whatever they like. Somebody can just buy one kenkey and use it to tour the whole city ostensibly that he’s gone to buy food.”

He said though the operation is humanitarian, security agencies might be forced to change the strategy they’re currently using.

“We will look at our strategy if it is in consonance to what is happening now on the grounds. If it is not so and if our strategy now is not able to contain what is happening now then I think we have to up our game and a time will come that we may use force to enforce the directives.”

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, March 27, 2020, announced a two-week partial lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi as part of measures to stem the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The lockdown was extended by the president for a week which ends on Sunday 19th April 2020.

Security agencies have however complained of many people being found in town without tangible reasons since the commencement of the lockdown.

Citizens are continuously urged to stay home if they have nothing urgent to do in town as that is the surest way they can protect themselves and their families from the virus.