COVID-19: We’ll be tough on persons found loitering during lockdown this week – Police

The Ghana Police Service says it will be tough in enforcing the presidential directive on restricted movements within lockdown areas this week.

The Director-General of Operations, DCOP Mr Boadu Peprah warned that individuals found loitering will be arrested as the third week of the lockdown begins today, Monday, April 13, 2020.

“Now we have entered the third-week so we expect everyone to stay at home. If they refuse to stay at home, now we are going to arrest people we see loitering. Now we expect everybody to respect the presidential order. Stay at home and you protect yourself. So from Monday going we are going to be tough.”

Following the partial lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi, the security agencies mandated to enforce the directive have on several occasion dealt with persons idling around.

Last week, about 14 persons were remanded in Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region for loitering.

Also, 50 individuals were made to desilt chocked drains in the Central Business District of Kasoa for the same offense.

Ghana's President, Nana Akufo-Addo on Saturday, announced a two-week extension of the ban on public gathering.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin said the extension takes effect from today, Monday, 13th April 2020.
Also, the president added a one-week extension of lockdown on Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa.

The COVID-19 cases in Ghana have increased to 566 with the Western Region and Volta Region recording new cases.