The Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has temporarily ban group hunting and its related activities in the region following the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease in Ghana. A communiqué signed by the Minister for the Northern Region, Mr. Salifu Saeed, who doubles as Chairman of REGSEC, said the decision was arrived at after a number of consultations with the relevant stakeholders in the area.
The Minister noted this directive takes cognizance of the large number of people who usually pack themselves in vehicles for this activity and the danger it poses to the required social gathering protocols outlined to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
“Accordingly, group-hunting is temporarily banned in the region with immediate effect. As part of measures, the Regional Security Council has accepted the call by some traditional rulers for the immediate ban on group-hunting and its related activities in the region” the minister emphasized.
Hundreds of residents in the northern region on weekly basis travel to far distance communities and districts in search for bush meat during harmattan season when the bushes are dried up. These individuals sometimes engage in bush fire, burning farmlands and causing soil infertility.
However, the REGSEC Chairman implored civil society organizations, religious groups, traditional leaders and the youth to cooperate and comply with the preventive measures government has announced. He added the law enforcement agencies will punish people who will fail to obey the public safety measures.
Ghana has now recorded 16 cases of the novel coronavirus disease with three of the latest infections being local transmission. According to the Ghana Service Health, a 53-year old Ghanaian male tested positive with the virus but there is no history of travel or evidence of close contact with confirmed case and a 29-year old Ghanaian lady, resident of Accra also tested positive but no history of travel as well as a 34-year old Ghanaian lady was also tested positive with contact of a confirmed case at place of work.
Meanwhile, the Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia led a Muslim breakfast prayer on behalf of government Friday morning to petition Allah to protect the country and its economy as the world is devastated by the pandemic disease. Similarly, President Nana Akufo Addo also led leadership of the Christian community to observe a breakfast praying session at the Jubilee house on Thursday.
