Some commercial and private drivers plying the American House – Madina road have created remote routes to avoid security barricades mounted at the Social Welfare area and in front of the Madina Police Station.
Other drivers within the area, during the Ghana News Agency (GNA) rounds on Wednesday, were also seen to have created their own out-of-the-way paths that could lead them to markets and other business centres at the blind side of the security.
The strategy had caught on well with some passengers who knew those alternative routes and board the vehicles at those strategic locations.
Some of the drivers told the GNA that even though they appreciated the importance of the stay home lockdown, it had become necessary for them to work to make some money, by finding alternative routes to reach their destination with limited obstruction from the security operatives.
The GNA also observed that some commercial vehicles were adhering to the COVID-19 preventive measures by allowing two passengers on a row for the smaller ‘trotros’ instead of three, while the bigger ones took three instead of four on a row.
Individuals who walked through the police checkpoints were not questioned by the officers unlike occupants of private cars, passengers in taxi or Uber, who were asked the reason for embarking on the journey.
As at 0900 hours, some food vendors were seen along the route with very few patronage while the social distancing was hardly being observed.
Large numbers of people continued to throng the Madina Market creating some congestion and while some wore face masks and hand gloves, many were not wearing anything protective.