Coronavirus: The Police alone cannot ensure compliance - Dr. Gbene

The Western Regional Director of Veterinary Service, Dr Simon Gbene, has opined that the police service alone cannot ensure compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols when there is mass disobedience to these protocols.

According to him, the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic requires collective effort and as such making the enforcement of the laws on COVID-19 the sole responsibility of the police will make the fight ineffective.

Dr Gbene told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show: “When there is mass disobedience it will be very difficult for any enforcement. We must all understand that COVID-19 is not a one-person fight. If we understand it that way then it can work because the police alone cannot ensure compliance. We must continue to educate and involve the community leaders, the assemblymen, the unit committee, and the chiefs. I think this time we have to bring everybody on board. But if we leave it to the law enforcement alone then we are going to see what we are seeing now”.

He furthered just like any other persons, the police are also humans who can get discouraged by anything or anyone and as such mass disobedience to the safety, protocols is something that can discourage them, thereby, making the enforcement of the laws difficult.

He charged the media to “intensify their education” on the COVID-19 protocols to encourage compliance to the safety protocols.

“So this time, I will rather call on the media to intensify their education this is because if the compliance is not there and there is mass disobedience this is what we will see”, he added.

In his 22nd COVID-19 update to the nation President Akufo-Addo, ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, to strictly enforce the mandatory wearing of nose masks among the populace as the nation continues to grapple with the Coronavirus pandemic.

The police in Ghana within 24 hours after the order was made arrested hundreds of people across the country for flouting the health protocol measures instituted to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.