Tema yet to fully embrace coronavirus protocols

Some residents in the Tema Metropolis do not wear nose masks and they walk and sit close to each other against protocols to contain the COVID-19.

On April 25, the Ghana Health Service issued a directive that wearing of mask was mandatory at all times in public following a Presidential order that the general public must observe social distancing and other hygiene protocols.

The Tema Metropolis, according to its Chief Executive, had recorded 13 COVID-19 positive cases out of which eight contracted it in the community while the remaining five were imported.

A visit to some communities in the Tema Metropolis especially, the business area, showed that a number of commuters who were in town to either buy from the market or were going about their normal business, were not wearing the nose mask.

While majority of the Tema-Ashaiman floating commercial (trotro) drivers either had the nose masks not properly worn, their conductors were not wearing one as they freely picked passengers who did not have their nose masks on.

At the St Michael Park at Tema Manhean, many young men were seen playing football while some engaged in other sporting activities such as draught, ludo and playing of cards in contravention to the ban on social gathering.

People who had gathered to watch the match were not wearing nose masks as they cheered their favourite team on with some mingling freely without a protective gear.

Speaking to some of the spectators, they said they could not always be indoors hence the need to do some exercise and entertain themselves with the sporting activities in the community.

Paa Joe, a sports fanatic said: “most of us miss sports especially football so we decided to come to the park today and have some fun.”

Residents who were not wearing the nose masks even though they were in the business area, said they could hardly breathe through the nose masks while others complained that it absorbed heat thus making it uncomfortable.

Kwame Ato, a resident, said he always felt uncomfortable in the nose mask as an asthmatic patient saying, “I sometimes get attacks and with the mask on, I can’t get enough air so I don’t like wearing it.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana News Agency observed that all banks in the Metropolis were complying with the' no nose mask no entry" directive.