Female head porters, or ‘Kayayei’, who travelled to Accra from the northern parts of the country to make money are making a hasty journey back to their hometowns to avoid a partial lockdown on the capital over the coronavirus pandemic.

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Friday evening announced that 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 virus.

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

Residents in the affected areas can only go out to get essential items such as food, conduct banking transactions or use the public toilet or buy fuel.

Although the restriction on movement starts from 1:00 a.m. on Monday, March 30, photos taken on Saturday evening show Kayayei at the Mallam Atta Market in Accra packing their belongings into big red Yutong bus for the trip their hometowns.

Since the restriction on the movement of persons was declared on Friday, there have been concerns that non-symptomatic coronavirus carriers may spread the virus to the rural areas where there have not been recorded cases.

Watch photos of the head porters packing a bus with their belongings to begin the journey back home.