Some 24 persons at various points in the Greater Accra region have been arrested by the police for allegedly flouting the presidential directive on the closure of pubs, night clubs, drinking spots and bars on the back of rising coronavirus cases in the country.

The Ghana Police Service has intensified its patrols around such facilities, as well as beaches, to enforce the restrictions by the president on social gatherings.

DSP Effia Tenge, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, adding that the ongoing operation, which started last Monday, had so far been carried out in areas such as Osu, James Town, Kokrobite, Madina, La, Tesano, Odorkor and Korle Bu.

Among the arrested were Heliwan Bilal, the Manager of the Shisha Lounge Night Club at Osu, which was open and crowded with more than 50 patrons at the time of the arrest.

Effia Tenge said the suspect had been charged with failing to comply with the coronavirus restrictions, offensive conduct and assault of a public officer as he tried to resist arrest.

According to her, the Tesano Divisional Police had also arrested Isaac Asamoah, a member of staff of the National Investigations Bureau, who is alleged to have prevented the police from gaining entry into a pub at Abelemkpe, in Accra.

In the end, the Tesano Police arrested 23 people, made up of 21 men and two women, at a number of drinking spots visited for failing to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols.