Coronavirus: Ghana to impose severe punishments for those not wearing face masks
Ghana adopts a measure that incriminates not wearing a face mask in public places, with those convicted of the offence facing up to 10 years in jail.
Ghanaian president Nana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has signed a law (E.I164) that criminalizes the act of not wearing a face mask that fully covers the mouth and nose in public places. The law states that those who are found guilty will be fined a minimum of 12000 cedis ($2000) or a maximum of 60000 cedis ($1000), or will be sentenced to spend between four and 10 years in prison.
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As per E.I164 Ghanaian courts have been granted the authority to hand both a fine and a jail term to the offenders when considered necessary, while the Ghanaian police are now entitled to assure citizens obey the new measure by application of the new executive instrument, signed by the president on June 15.
Coronavirus in Ghana
It appears the alarming increase in the number of Coronavirus cases in the country during the last two days (600 new cases) has urged Akufo-Addo and his government to take serious actions to try and prevent the occurrence of more Covid-19-related infections. Ghana has recorded 12,929 cases so far, 4,468 recoveries, and 66 deaths.