Akuapem North, Akuapem South, Okere and New Juaben South Municipalities in the Eastern region have taken the joint initiative to prevent the spread of Coronavirus to their municipalities.
The alliance was formed on the back of an influx of people into the Municipalities following a partial lockdown of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi by Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo effective March 30, 2020.
A joint Directive issued after a meeting attended by Municipal/District Public Health Emergency Committees together with the Municipal/District Security Councils of these four (4) Assemblies stated among other things that effective Tuesday, 31st March 2020 at 6:00am, fifteen (15) Barriers/checkpoints would be mounted in strategic entry Points and areas in the four municipalities.
Also, mandatory temperature check will be conducted by health workers attached to the security team at the checkpoint.
The directive binds on Taxi drivers to pick only three passengers -one (1) person at the Front Seat and two (2) persons at the back seat. Trotros will carry one (1) person in front and two (2) persons at the back for urvan buses and three (3) persons at the back for sprinters, in line with social distancing protocols.
Hotels and Guesthouses in the four municipalities are expected to provide details on visitors received from March 29, 2020.
Below is the detail of the joint statement:
JOINT DIRECTIVES TO CURB THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 WITHIN AKUAPEM
NORTH, AKUAPEM SOUTH, OKERE, NEW JUABEN SOUTH MUNICIPALITIES
The Akuapem North, Akuapem South, New Juaben South Municipal Assemblies, and Okere District Assembly have noticed an influx of people into the Municipality due to the partial lockdown of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi as announced by H.E. the President of the Republic.
Given that the Municipal/District Public Health Emergency Committees together with the Municipal/District Security Councils of these four (4) Assemblies have taken the following measures effective Tuesday, 31st March 2020 at 6:00 a.m. to curb community spread of the coronavirus within their respective areas:
1. Barriers/check points would be mounted at the following areas:
1. Eastern Premier Hotel Junction
2. Mangoase Junction
3. Saforo
4. Obosomase/Ahwerase
5. Larteh Junction
6. Larteh Tamara (Ayikuma Road)
7. Ansaa Guest House
8. Adukrom Old Police Station Barrier
9. Adamorobe
10. Pokuase Shalom Shalom Road
11. Nsawam Obodan
12. Nsawam Pakro Road
13. Koforidua SSNIT Estate Highway
14. Koforidua Prisons Junction
15. Koforidua OBOSS (Ada Road)
Public Health workers would be present at these checkpoints to take temperatures of people and direct abnormal cases to the appropriate authorities.
Taxis/Trotros would be mandatorily checked at the various checkpoints before being allowed in and out of the Municipalities and district. In the case of the Taxis, they would be allowed to carry one (1) person at the Front Seat and two (2) persons at the back seat, and the Trotros will carry one (1) person in front and two (2) persons at the back for urvan buses and three (3) persons at the back for sprinters, in line with social distancing protocols.
3. All Hotels and Guest Houses should provide to the Assemblies, the number of visitors they have received from 29th March 2020 to date for necessary action to be taken. This information is needed by COB Tuesday, 31st March 2020. Hotels should ensure the provision of Veronica buckets and mandatory hand washing before entry to their reception and to make available infrared Thermometers to check temperatures of guests visiting their premises.
4. All Pubs/Drinking Spots should shut down until further notice. This measure is to reduce the challenges in contact tracing.
5. Food vendors chop bars restaurants can operate but customers should not be allowed to sit and eat. Instead, the food should be bagged and taken away.
6. The Following Markets will run a shift system to reduce the number of traders at a time on market days. Adawso Market, Asenema Market, Koforidua Central Market, Juabeng Serwah Market, Zongo Market, Agartha Market, Beads Market.
7. Assembly members would carry out public education using the Community Information Centres (CICs) in their various Electoral Areas on these measures and inform families to encourage their relatives who have moved from Accra and other places to have themselves checked at health facilities and self-isolate to curb any possible spread.
The Information Services Department of these Assemblies would carry out public education to encourage enhanced personal hygiene and the measures outlined in this directive.
8. During this period, the police and the Emergency Response Teams of the Assemblies will step up patrol operations to ensure that these measures are complied with.
9. We encourage the citizenry to stay at Home if they do not have urgent activities outside. As much as possible, STAY AT HOME.
Sign…
Dennis Aboagye, MCE-Akuapem North
Frank Aidoo, MCE-Akuapem South
Isaac Appaw Gyasi, MCE-New Juaben South
Daniel Kenneth, DCE –Okere
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
