COVID-19: Enact by-laws to enforce mandatory use of face masks – V/R MDAs ordered

The Volta Regional Coordinating Council has directed Municipal and District Assemblies to “immediately enact appropriate by-laws” to make the wearing of face masks mandatory in most sections of public life.

In a statement, the council said the by-laws are to cover all staff, public officers and clients of the assemblies and ensure they “wear face masks in the conduct of their official businesses.”

Commercial drivers and their passengers are to wear face masks at all time as well as “every member of the public transacting any business with any security agency should wear a face mask.”

The statement urged assemblies to “intensify education on the wearing of face masks, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers and social distancing in their respective jurisdictions.”

“Notices of ‘no face masks no entry’ should be visibly displayed at vantage points at all public and commercial entities including shops, malls, supermarkets among others,” the council also directed.

The Greater Accra Region took the lead on this front by making the wearing of face masks in public places mandatory within the region.

The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly in the Central Region also made the wearing of face masks mandatory from Monday, April 27, 2020.

All public and private institutions in the region were instructed by the Assembly to begin a ‘No Face Mask, No Entry’ policy.

Since then, the government has directed the wearing of face masks at facilities accessible by the public.

A statement from the Ghana Health Service issued on behalf of the Minister of Health explained that the order was in line with the Public Health Act.

“Pursuant to section 169 of the Public Health Act, 2013 (Act 851), the Minister responsible for Health by an Executive Instrument (E.I.61) declared COVID-19 a public health emergency. Section 170 (1) provides that the Minister of Health may order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of public health matters.”

Ghana’s novel coronavirus case count currently stands at 1,550.

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