Accra, April 2, GNA – The Ghana Police Service and personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces on Thursday scale-up roadblocks and check points to enforce restrictions and movements persons within the Greater Accra Region.
Ghana News Agency observatory team across the metropolis noticed the visibility of security operatives who have mounted barricades on some principal streets, checking occupants of both private and commercial vehicles to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.
Operation COVID Safety which started on Monday March 30 in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Kasoa started with moderate security visibility and activity but due to behaviour of some members of the public, enforcement has been scale up.
GNA noticed that, on the Accra-Madina road, there were about six road blocks manned by Operation COVID Safety team comprising the Military, Police and other security teams to ensure that both commercial and private cars occupants do not exceed the required number of passengers on board.
There was also road blocks on the Accra to Nsawam, Abelemkpe to Accra, Odorkor to Accra, Achimota to Accra, Dansoman to Accra. All routes leading to the Central Business Districts have road blocks.
The security team who are adhering to tenets of democratic policing would ask the occupants of vehicles, where they were coming from, their final destination, and their occupation and inspect their identity cards before they are allowed to continue their journey or returned.
The GNA also observed that the Operation COVID Safety team forced people who are not classified as essential service providers to alight and return home. They used the opportunity to educate people on the need to stay home.
The team also observed that the inspection of vehicles created some traffic on those roads.
Some passengers were seen stranded because they have been ordered to alight from their respective commercial vehicles midway for breaking the law on restriction of movement because they are persons not exempted.
The team observed that after 1000 hours, no commercial vehicle from Madina and its environs were allowed to enter the Accra Central business district and that such vehicle drivers were asked to alight their passengers at the Ridge roundabout.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday, March 27, announced a restriction of movements in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and Kasoa from 0100 hours on Monday, March 30, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to authorities, all individuals are advised to stay at home as much as possible for the next two weeks and will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential items such as food, medicine, and water, or to visit the bank and public toilets.
Additionally, inter-city travel for private and commercial purposes, except for essential goods and services have been suspended and also all intra-city travel vehicles must also reduce the number of passengers to observe social distancing.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s borders remain closed as of Sunday, March 22, for two weeks to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
As such the country has been closed to all but returning Ghanaians and foreign nationals with Ghanaian residents’ permits. They will all be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.
GNA