The Sunyani West Municipal Assembly in the Bono Region is producing 30,000 pieces of nose masks for free distribution to residents in the Municipality to protect them against the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The product is being produced by local tailors and seamstresses spread across the Municipality, Mr. Martin Obeng, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) disclosed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday at Odomase, the Municipal capital.

He said 4000 pieces out of the number had been distributed already and the next batch of 6000 pieces would be ready for distribution soon.

The MCE said the Assembly had decided to do the free distribution so that “nobody in the Municipality can give the excuse of lack of money to buy one to use”.

Mr Obeng said the wearing of nose mask is now a basic and vital personal protective equipment (PPE) that could not be left behind, once a person is at any public place as it is one of the health and safety directives against the spread of the COVID-19.

He said notwithstanding the importance of it some of the people in the Municipality have not been adhering to the directive, hence the effort by the Assembly to give it free of charge to everyone.

Mr. Obeng cautioned that anyone arrested by the Sunyani COVID-19 Taskforce for non-compliance with the directives, protocols and restrictions against the disease, “my office would not be in a good position to defend the one”.