President Nana Akufo-Addo has reacted to the sudden decline in adherence to the Covid-19 safety protocols particularly the wearing of face masks amongst citizens.

In his 16^th address to the nation Sunday, he described the act as “unacceptable.”

According to him, although Ghana’s Covid-19 statistics are encouraging, the country is not yet out of the woods, hence, the protocols must be strictly adhered to.

“Indeed, the high compliance rate with mask-wearing of persons surveyed by the Ghana Health Service in some selected areas of Accra, to which I referred optimistically in my last address, has, according to a new survey by the same Service, fallen alarmingly.

“This is not acceptable, as the enhanced hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing protocols must now be central features of our Iives, and they must continue to remain so for some time to come until we see to the elimination of the virus from our country,” he stated.

The President further reiterated that wearing of facemask is compulsory, therefore, individuals who are found defaulting the rule could be arrested and jailed.

“Let me remind those amongst us, who want to continue to disregard these protocols, that severe sanctions exist in our laws for such persons, who will want to endanger the rest of the population through their actions and negligence.

“The law enforcement agencies will, where necessary, apply these measures without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, and without recourse to a person’s ethnicity, gender or religion,” he stressed.