BY: Lambert Atsivor & Daniel Orlando | Voltaonlinegh.com |
The Public Health Emergency Committee of the Ho Municipal Assembly is set to deploy a task force to enforce the compulsory wearing of nose masks by residents in the municipality.
This has become necessary as a result of the non-adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols especially the use of nose masks in public.
According to a circular issued by the Acting Municipal Information Officer, Richmond Abake, the task force comprising officers of the Assembly and the Security Services would commence work from Tuesday, June 9, 2020 and apply appropriate sanctions on offenders.
Spot Fine
As part of its mandate, the task force would impose a spot fine of not less than GH₵20 on persons found without nose masks in accordance with the current Fee Fixing Schedule of Assembly Bye Laws, the circular stated.
“The general public is hereby informed that it's an offence to move in town without a mask (which is a government health directive) and would attract a fine of not less than GHc20 as contained in the fee fixing schedule of the Ho Municipal Assembly bye laws.”
Under the ‘Miscellaneous Offences’ provision of the Fee Fixing schedule, ‘Refusal to adhere to Environmental, Government and Health Regulations’ attracts a fine.
Providing further details on the issue to Volta Online, Mr. Abake said the Assembly does not intend to profit from the debilitating global pandemic, hence pegging the spot fine at GH₵20.
He added that, the task force would issue official receipts to offenders upon payment and also provide them with nose masks before being allowed to continue with their rounds in town.
The acting Municipal Information officer thus appealed to the public to strictly adhere to all safety protocols against the further spread of the corona virus pandemic in the municipality in order to avoid being sanctioned.
Background
The Minister of Health pursuant to section 169 of the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851) on April 25, 2020 announced a compulsory use of nose masks in public as a means of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
That provision grants the sector minister the power to order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of a public health concern by an Executive Instrument (E.I).
Subsequently, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa in a circular announcing ‘No Mask, No Entry’ policy at the premises of the Regional Coordinating Council in Ho, directed to all Municipal and District Assemblies in the region to pass a bye law to effect the compulsory use of nose masks in public.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
