The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has threatened to deal ruthlessly with those facilitating the movement of foreigners into the Region without recourse to security protocols and checks.

A statement signed by Mr Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, said "anybody who is caught transporting foreigners into the Region in such large groups would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country".

It said considering the health and security implications this phenomenon posed to the Region, the REGSEC would go all out to ensure that all the preventive protocols and restrictive measures outlined by the government was implemented.

According to the statement, a total of 221 foreigners who illegally migrated to the Region had been arrested and were currently in the custody of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

The statement warned landlords who harboured such people to be careful since the country had its own laws on immigration.

It stressed the need for all to join hands in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, and asked that all health and social distancing protocols ought to be observed strictly.

"All groupings put together for the purpose of playing cards, draught and football activities are indefinitely suspended and declared illegal under the present circumstances," it noted.

The statement reminded the citizenry to wear face masks regularly in areas such as markets, hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks, workplaces and on board commercial vehicles.

The same goes for food vendors and street hawkers.