ASP Joseph Nakoja, Denu District Police Commander has called on the public to consider face mask wearing a necessity to stay safe from COVID-19 and not the discomfort it brings.

He said most people were breaching the law on the mandatory wearing of face masks because of the discomfort that came with it.

"Face masks protected the virus as researchers say the new COVID-19 variant is deadlier."

ASP Nakoja said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the recent exercise the Command embarked on, mounting roadblocks from 0600 hours-1030 hours around the Denu Market and the station's charge office to ensure drivers, passengers and traders wore face masks.

The District Commander said Wednesday's exercise, rather than to arrest and prosecute offenders, sought to educate them on the law on compulsory wearing of face masks and the need to mask up.

"The exercise was not just for the sake of arresting and prosecuting people but to also send a word of caution to the public that there's a law on mandatory face mask-wearing and that we're enforcing the law and that if you go out without wearing a mask, it's an offence punishable by law."

ASP Nakoja said the exercise was fruitful with most people cooperating with the police, others running around for masks before going back to where they were headed and that some people were just ordinarily cautioned while others were recalcitrant and challenged why the police tried to compel them to wear face masks after allowing politicians to operate during the electioneering period without masks.

He said such offenders were arrested and bailed explaining, the Command had no interest in adding to the number already in their cells.

"Few were arrested but they were only cautioned and granted bail. We believe that at this moment, there's no need going to add up someone from outside into the cells unless of course, the offence is a serious one."

"The exercise will not be a one day exercise. We're going to sustain it and we want people to know that it's an offence not to wear a face mask and it's for our good because the pandemic is real," he concluded.