The usual fanfare and pageantry that characterised the Eid ul-Fitr celebration was absent yesterday in many parts of town when the Ghanaian Muslim community joined the rest of the world to observe the feast.
Ahead of the day, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) had cautioned against large gatherings at beaches or street carnivals as a measure to contain the spread of the dreaded coronavirus disease.
To this end, the RCC tasked all Assemblies in the region to collaborate with their respective police commands to ensure the directive was not breached.
In compliance with this, there were no centralised prayers, carnivals and or beach merry making as non-Muslims Ghanaians joined their colleague Muslims to observe the day in their various homes.
When the Ghanaian Times drove through town to ascertain the level of compliance, streets in Muslim dominated areas like Nima, Maamobi, Fadama, Sukura, among other areas, which would have been the centre of attraction with motorbike displays, were empty.
Many people were spotted in their houses, and in front of mosques with their families chatting and eating.
There was brisk business of the selling of fowls and other food items at Nima and Maamobi.
At the La Palm and Labadi beaches, in Accra, there were no holiday revellers, as there was heavy police presence from the Formed Police Unit and the Accra Regional Police Command.
When contacted on compliance of the COVID-19 safety directive, the Commanding Officer in charge of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, said, there was compliance of the directive of “No go” at the beaches.
He said there was intensified police foot and vehicle patrols to ensure people do not block the streets for jams and other activities.
ACP Ofori said so far no arrest had been made in connection with violation of the COVID-19 protocols.
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