Restaurants, chop bars and eating joints within the Ministries enclave have introduced social distancing rule at the food courts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The eateries have expanded the eating areas and arranged chairs and tables at about one-meter interval, some, with supervisors ensuring compliance with the rule.

A few operators, who spoke with the Ghana News Agency, said the initiative was to ensure the safety of clients and to avoid shut downs or lock downs, which would have adverse impact on their businesses.

Hajia Mama, Second in Charge, Railway Canteen at the Ministries, said the national figures were scary and the least they could do was to enforce the protocols to keep their businesses running.

Another operator told the GNA that, "We don't even allow clients to come here and be chatting. We keep the distance and allow little conversation. We are scared."

The GNA observed that Veronica buckets were at the entrances of the courts with "no mask no entry" policy being strictly enforced.

The situation at offices in the Ministry is no different.

At the offices of Gender, Children and Social Protection, reporters were received at the entrance by a security officer, who instructed them to wash their hands with soap under running water, wiped their hands with tissues, before checking their temperatures.

Mr Bismark Nyadzi, Assistant Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, said measures were being put in place to "revive the shift system as instructed by the President of the Republic in his COVID-19 address on Sunday."

Mr Desmond Boateng, Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Railway Development, said the Ministry had not stopped its shift system since March 2020, and had ensured the wearing of masks by workers and visitors to the offices.

"COVID-19 is real and not something to be joked with, especially the proper wearing of nose masks and avoiding of crowded areas," he said.

GNA observed that hand washing stations have been positioned at the entrances of the Ministry of Fishers and Aquaculture Development, Ministry of Work and Housing and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.