The National Peace Council (NPC) has declared its support for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directive to the security services to collaborate and enforce the Coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols.
This is a result of an upsurge in the number of active cases, and the discovery of new variants of the virus in the country.
The Chronicle has observed the impact of the novel virus on the socio-economic lives of Ghanaians, and would like to stress that our security agencies must intensify their operations to arrest recalcitrant members of the public who are flouting the safety protocols, as well as perpetuating crime.
We back calls by the NPC that the security agencies must be determined and resolute in discharging their constitutional mandate, regardless of one’s socio-political status and religious affiliation, to serve as a deterrent to others.
We are of the opinion that the time has come for us, as a country, to marshal all available forces to battle this virus, to ensure that we remain focused on our accelerated development.
We cannot lose sight of the fact that some Ghanaians are, with impunity, covertly and overtly flouting the prescribed safety protocols, especially the wearing of nose masks.
It is against this background that we, at The Chronicle, would like to call on fellow Ghanaians to, as a matter of urgency, continue to protect ourselves by wearing masks, observing social distancing, and washing our hands with soap under running water.
These are the crucial habits that we all require at this material moment to safeguard our lives from the threat of the virus.
Mindful of the health and legal ramifications of disobeying the prescribed safety measures in place, The Chronicle would appeal to heads of academic institutions to ensure that both staff and students comply more with the Coronavirus-adopted protocols to prevent the further spread of the virus in our schools and communities.
Let us also be mindful of the fact that sanctions exist in our laws for persons who want to continue to disregard these protocols, and for those who want to endanger the lives of the rest of the population through their actions and negligence.
And we believe that the law enforcement agencies will, where necessary, apply these measures without fear or favour.
The Chronicle would urge students to be more disciplined in adhering to personal hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing measures on their campuses
We further reiterate that school authorities must be guided by the Ghana Education Service (GES) guidelines for the reopening of schools, which sought to promote the observance of all the protocols of the COVID-19 pandemic, to make schools safe for learners, staff and educational workers.
We have assurance that the GES has put in place measures to ensure that learners, teaching and non-teaching staff are safe in school to help stop the spread of the disease, and, therefore, those who feel or fall sick must be cautioned to stay at home and not go to school.
The Chronicle would also remind school authorities to ensure pupils disengage from all unnecessary assemblies, sporting and other outdoor activities that could make them susceptible to contracting the virus.
To our parents, we urge them to prioritise the health and safety of their children and wards by ensuring regular supply of personal protective equipment to guarantee their health and safety in school and at home.
The government has a responsibility to provide protective equipment for schools and students, but that does mean, as parents, we should neglect our responsibilities of the health of our children.
We are not in normal times, and we must step up our actions to return the country to normalcy.
The post Editorial: Security agencies must be resolute in enforcing COVID-19 protocols appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS