The Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service is calling on traditional authorities and community leaders along the borders to help clamp down on illegal migrants entering the country.
The directorate observed that, community members of some border areas in the region aid the transportation of illegal immigrants into the country.
Even though the region has not recorded any case of COVID-19, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Winfred Ofosu admonished residents along the borders to desist from the act as it could be a recipe for COVID-19 spread in the region.
He spoke at a media launch of COVID-19 campaign by the Bolga Central Member of Parliament, Isaac Adongo in Bolgatanga.
“I take this opportunity to appeal to our people that, they should not harbour anybody in their homes who show signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and who either has returned from Abroad or coming from areas where we know the disease has been recorded.”
“Our neighbours in Burkina Faso and Togo also have the COVID-19 disease and we know that our borders have been closed to human traffic but we still have some of our compatriots particularly those using ‘Okada’ and tricycles (Cando) going to Burkina Faso to bring some of the people there into our region. This is really unpatriotic act because in so doing we may bring the virus into our region. We are appealing to communities along the borders and particularly the traditional leaders to talk to the people particularly those using ‘Okada’ and tricycles to stop this act so that we can remain safe in the region,” he added.
Dr. Ofosu also appealed for more personal protective equipment for frontline workers in the region saying, the region has insufficient stock to cope with the fight against COVID-19.
“Even though in the region we have some quantities of these personal protective equipment, they are insufficient and we need a lot more and I appeal to other well-meaning Ghanaians and corporate institutions to come to our aid.”
The Member of Parliament for the Bolga Central constituency, Isaac Adongo, donated hand sanitizers, veronica buckets, reusable overalls, medical infrared thermometers, disposable overalls, surgical masks, gloves, sprayers for disinfection, liquid soap among others to all the 43 public and private health facilities in the Bolgatanga municipality.
