Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister-designate, has stressed the need for frequent washing of hands with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers to stem the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged homes, market places, shops and offices not to accept persons who call in without a nose mask, adding, "No Face Mask, No Entry label must be boldly displayed at the entrance."

He maintained that mandatory wearing of nose masks by all at public places should be strictly enforced by the Metropolitan Security Council (METSEC), Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) and District Security Council (DISEC) and offenders prosecuted to deter others.

Mr Darko-Mensah, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said: "Heads of institutions, especially schools, must provide Veronica buckets, accessories and soap, tissue paper as well as masks and other basic PPEs for use by their staff and clients."

He said social and physical distancing in churches, mosques and public places should be strictly adhered to while commercial transport operators must ensure passengers wear masks before boarding vehicles at all times.

The Minister-designate said while contact tracing, testing, and treatment were in the hands of the healthcare workers, members of the public must complement by co-operating and respecting the safety protocols.

He said, "to avoid a possible second lock-down, with the Western Region included this time around, we all owe it a duty to comply with these directives and ensure that the war against COVID-19 in the Western Region and in Ghana for that matter is won sooner than later."

Mr Darko-Mensah called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to lead the process with their various Security Councils providing support.

He further charged them to implement with immediate effect the outlined strategies and measures taken by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) under the auspices of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committee in order to defeat the virus in the Region.