Tuobodom Tomato Season: DCE Distributes Free Masks To Enforce ‘No Mask, No Entry'

As the new season for tomato draws closer, the Techiman North District Chief executive Hon Peter Mensah has distributed over 20,000 branded reusable cloth nose masks to the vulnerable in the district as part of the assembly’s efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to Hon peter Mensah, the free distribution of the mask was to ensure that traders from other regions entering for trading activities do not come up with excuses as the Techiman North District assembly begins the enforcement of the wearing of face masks in the country as directed by the President Akufo-Addo and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in line with section 14 of the Public Health Act, Act 851.

“From today, the wearing of nose mask is going to be mandatory and we intend to enforce it, but we know that there are a lot of vulnerable people who cannot afford, so we as an Assembly has taken it upon ourselves to go round and distribute it for free so that when we are enforcing no one can say they can’t afford it,” the DCE told newsmen.

Hon Peter Mensah noted that even though Bono East Region yet to record its first positive case of the novel Coronavirus disease but due to the booming tomato business in the district which is set to begin next week, hence, enforcement of these directives taking immediate effect, commercial drivers have also been charged to ensure passengers are wearing their nose masks before they allow them to board their vehicles.

“All public and private institutions are to ensure the wearing of face masks by all staff and visitors. Commercial drivers are to ensure that passengers wear face masks before they board vehicles. Market women, traders are to ensure that passengers wear face masks before they board vehicles”, the Techiman North DCE announced.

He advised that, “I want to encourage you to wear a mask wherever you go, as it will help you not to contract the virus, and keep it clean… If you own a business or are providing a service, i.e. a barber, a hairdresser, a tailor, a taxi driver, a trotro driver and his ‘mate’, a shop keeper, a food seller, please do well to use a mask.”

He indicated that the Assembly has embarked on a sensitisation drive and invested in the purchase and sharing of the nose masks stressing that after a series of public education, those who refuse to wear masks would be sanctioned by the Police as stipulated in the Act.

The DCE said the assembly has placed Veronica buckets, soap and tissues at vantage points of the markets to ensure proper hand washing of traders. He advised the people to adhere to the social distancing safety protocol to avoid contracting the virus.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced on Tuesday, 12 May 2020 that Ghana has recorded 427 new coronavirus cases, increasing the country's case count to 5,127.

The Director-General of GHS, Dr Patrick Aboagye, announced this at a media briefing.

Obuasi has recorded 272 new infections in the latest figures. In all the Ashanti Region has recorded 207 new cases.

Below is the list of COVID-19 hotspots in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region:

Tema Metropolis
Korle-Klottey
Accra Metropolis
Kpone Katamanso
Kumasi Metropolis
Kwadaso
Suame
Oforikrom
Aboaso
Obuasi
Regional breakdown
Greater Accra -3, 981
Ashanti region -662
Central region – 154
Western region – 52
Eastern region – 99
Volta Region – 32
Upper East Region – 26
Oti Region – 24
Upper West Region – 21
Northern Region – 16
North East Region – 2
Bono Region – 1
Savannah Region – 0
Ahafo Region – 0
Bono East Region - 0
Source: Ghana/otecdmghana.com