Ashanti Region has barred foreign nationals from entering the region as the coronavirus pandemic continues to swell in Ghana.

This comes a day after some market centers in Kumasi were closed over failure to observe rules on mobility and social distancing.

The Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah, in a statement on Wednesday said “the incidence of transporting foreigners into the region in their numbers is a matter of great concern and must cease immediately.

“Within three weeks, 17 Nigerians have been arrested, screened and repatriated by the Ghana Immigration Service. Currently, 116 persons from Togo and Benin are in custody”, the statement noted.

Considering the health and security implications of this phenomenon, the minister advised residents not to throw caution to the wind.

Below is the full release