Don’t Beat People …Minister Begs Soldiers

Military Men and police officers have been appealed to not to manhandle offenders of government’s ongoing partial lockdown directive issues as part of measures to combat the COVID-19 virus.

Making the appeal, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, said the joint soldiers/police task force should uphold professionalism always.

According to the Regional Minister, definitely some recalcitrant people would try to break the law by going out to roam about in the city even though they are forbidden to do so.

“I am appealing to the security agents to exercise professionalism and calmness even in the face of provocation. Let us arrest them and get the laws to deal with them, rather than unleash violence on them”, the Minister said on radio.

He noted that the security agents have been dispatched by the state to ensure that there is orderliness and total compliance to the partial lockdown.

“This is not war and so the security agents should be more professional. They should handle people with care and having in mind that we under a constitutional rule”, Simon Osei Mensah admonished.

According to him, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) have ordered some of the security men to mount road blacks at some vantage points.

Simon Osei Mensah also said some of the soldiers and policemen would be patrolling the partial lockdown areas in the region for two weeks.

He reiterated his appeal on the citizenry to remain indoors for two weeks, which is the stipulated period of government’s partial lockdown.

According to him, it is important for the people to adhere to the government’s social distancing and other preventive mechanisms to avert the spread of the virus.