A security taskforce in Kumasi has arrested a total of 198 people for failing to wear facemasks in public. 

Upon their arrests, they were compelled to buy the face masks and putting them on before being transported to the police station.

Ashanti Regional Deputy Police Commander, DCOP David Agyemang Adjem told JoyNews the recalcitrant suspects were granted bail after taking their statements.

"Because of our normal duties [schedule], we had to rely on our partners from the security services; Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Prisons Service so we have the task force made up of the three institutions go round and enforcing the directives.

"As at this morning, we had arrested a total of 200 persons," he said.

Among those arrested are traders, head porters and motorists who were going about their business with disregard for the presidential directive.

They were arrested at various locations in the region in an operation coordinated by divisional police commanders.

"What we do is that we take the statements of these persons and release them on bail. At the appropriate time, if we need to send them to court, we would do that," DCOP Adjem added.

Some of the suspects engaged in a banter with members of the taskforce after their arrest, claiming they had their facemasks in their pockets.

They see the action of the police as an attack orchestrated to inconvenience them.

But the police insist the suspects flouted the legislative instrument on wearing facemasks.

"There's this misconception that the police are only harassing people but of course, we all know what Covid is doing to all of us as a nation. And so my simple advice is that this is a war between Ghanaian and Covid.

"So the police and the public are on one side against the disease and we should ensure that we fight it as best as we can in our own ways," DCOP Adjem insisted.

The police want the public to accept the exercise in good faith to help protect all against the COVID-19.

"We are supposed to ensure that people adhere to presidential directives and that's what we will do," he said.

 There has been an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the Ashanti region and Kumasi is one of the hotspots which was locked down in March last year.