The Ghana Police Service has said it will employ ‘democratic policing strategies’ in enforcing the lockdown announced by government on March 28, 2020.

According to the Director of Public Affairs Supt. Sheila Abayie-Buckman, officers have been briefed to be circumspect in ensuring that the directives are observed by citizens to the latter.

“For people who will have to go out for essential items as listed by the President, we will even facilitate that movement.

"In some cases that you will find our officers escorting them to carry out these essential engagements,” she told Samson Lardy Anyenini on Newsfile, Saturday.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in a televised address said movements in some urban areas in the country will be restricted from Monday for two weeks as part of government measures to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The lockdown affects some areas in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi, where significant numbers of infections have been recorded.

This, Supt. Abayie-Buckman explained that a multi-sectoral approach is being adopted to combat the threat and see the joint security personnel facilitate movement in communities amid the lockdown.

“We are going to employ every available support to this, we have engaged the Ghana Armed forms, Bureau of National investigations (BNI) and other security services.”

The Director of Public Affairs also assured there would be no abuse of force by the agencies adding some level of ‘graduated force’ will only apply to recalcitrants.

“We do not want to arrest people anyhow, that is why I am hoping that by the end of this discussion people will accept and understand they need to stay at home for their own safety and the safety of the general public.