The Savannah Development Policy Think Tank has expressed concern over, what it says, is the disregard for the novel coronavirus prevention and control measures by the people living in the five northern regions – Northern, Upper West, Upper East, North East and Savannah.

It cast “the lukewarm attitude” of the people towards the wearing of face masks and non-observance of the protocols put in place by the Government as deeply disturbing.

Mr. Abu Kasangabata, the Executive Director, said “it is sad to relate that most people in the northern half of the country have not heeded the call to wear face masks in controlling the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, a situation which is quite worrying.”

He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in an interview in Accra.

He praised the Government for steps taken to contain and stop the spread of the pathogen, including the ban on social gathering, saying: “We are of the strongest conviction that it will yield good results if carried out well.” He also commended some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for putting on hold the weekly markets within their jurisdictions to help check the pandemic, describing the step as “a move in the right direction which must be enforced with the needed attention it deserves”.

Mr. Kasangabata said wearing of face masks was crucial as a containment measure against the spread of COVID-19 in the country, especially in the northern sector where adherence to the wearing of the masks was low.

Medical scientists are advocating cloth face coverings, which should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face and be secured with ties or ear loops.

The masks should include multiple layers of fabric to allow for breathing without restriction and be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage.

The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority has recommended homemade cloth face coverings, to cover the face in public settings, where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

The Savannah Development Policy Think Tank has backed the recommendations as the easiest and cheapest way of fighting COVID-19 since they come handy. It says, it is advisable to use the simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus.

Mr. Kasangabata said cloth face coverings made from common materials at low cost could be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure against the flu-like virus.

He suggested that the National Commission for Civic Education in collaboration with all MMDAs should be given the necessary human and material resources to carry out massive public education on the need to wear face masks, especially in northern Ghana.

He underlined their readiness to give strong support to the MMDAs to carry out public education on wearing of face masks.

Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, said at a press briefing on Tuesday, that nose mask wearing and social distancing were compulsory.

He said the idea of “I don't have money to buy face mask” should not be an excuse for anybody not to wear mask, stressing that, “wearing of face masks in public will continue to be our way of life to contain the spread of COVID-19”. The Minister called for adherence to the protocols on COVID-19 – washing of hands as “SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, will stay with us indefinitely.”

Ghana’s COVID-19 caseload stands at 2,719, with 294 recoveries and 18 fatalities, according to the Ghana Health Service.