The Upper East Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has rolled out the ‘Bolgatanga Unite Against COVID-19’ campaign to scale-up public awareness in the fight against the pandemic.

Mr Pontius Pilate Baba Apaabey, NCCE Upper East Regional Director, told the Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview that there was an urgent need for a change of attitude and strict adherence to the prescribed protocols by the World Health Organisation and Ghana Health Service.

He said in order to defeat the spread of COVID-19, identifiable groups, individuals, religious and traditional leaders, civil and non-governmental organisations must join forces to deal with the growing apathy.

Mr Apaabey said the attitude of some citizens suggested defiance, irrespective of the collective efforts by both state and non-state organisations, adding: “We must also not back out, we must upscale our advocacy for a change in behaviour”.

He explained that the Bolgatanga Unite Against COVID-19 Campaign sought to mobilise more people to be active participants in the fight against the rising active cases in Ghana.

He said it was a civic responsibility for citizens to adhere to the washing of hands with soap under running water or regular and thorough cleaning of hands with alcohol-based sanitizers.

“It seems that some people have decided not to obey the rules, these anti-social attitudes are a threat to all, the protocols are the only ways out for us. We must maintain at least one meter distance between each other.”

“We must obey the coughing and sneezing etiquettes. You risk breathing-in the droplets including COVID-19 virus if the person coughing nearby has the disease and failed to follow the etiquettes. The small droplets from the nose or mouth of an infected person contain the virus”.

He said the campaign also sought to engage identifiable personalities as agents of change to help citizens understand the need to avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unclean hands.

The NCCE has deployed civic educators across the Region to help create awareness and also demystify misconception about the wearing of face masks, he said.

“Wearing a face mask in public places is mandatory according to Executive Instrument 164. It is an offence to walk around in public without a face mask.

The Ghana Police is mandated to ensure the enforcement and compliance to this rule,” he said.