The residents of Ho, the Volta regional capital, have expressed concern over the large number of families and friends who relocated from Accra and Kumasi to the town ahead of the lockdown.
According them, the major roads leading to Ho and other parts of the region have been left without any security checks as being done in other parts of the country. Speaking in an interview with The Chronicle in Ho, a commercial driver, Mr. Robert Atiwogbe, said he was surprised that just after the president announced the lockdown, flow of passengers from Accra to Ho and other parts of the region increased astronomically.
A business woman in Ho, Madam Felicia Mortey, on her part said because of the sudden influx of people to Ho and its environs, people are now afraid to walk freely on the streets of the regional capital.
As a result, the major streets of Ho, which are always busy, are now empty as many have limited their movements. The Ho branch Chairman of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), Mr. Isaac Amenyo said as at 12 pm on Sunday, all vehicles plying Ho to Accra and Kumasi had stopped working following the Order that the two cities would be locked down.
Vehicles plying Kpong, Koforidua, Kpando, Hohoe , Aflao and Akatsi routes were however busy working.
Mr. Amenyo said the executives of PROTOA have so far ensured that drivers had adhered to the directive from the president to reduce the number of passengers in vehicles. According to him, vehicles that carry 14 passengers now take 9, hiring vehicles carry two passengers at the back instead of three.
He said drivers have also been made to understand that the country was going through difficult times hence the need to cooperate with government to ensure that the coronavirus did not spread.
Mr. Amenyo also disclosed that despite reducing the number of passengers, drivers are not supposed to charge extra fares.
By Samuel Agbewode / www.thechronicle.com
The post COVID-19 Lockdown: Fear and panic in Ho over influx of ‘foreigners’ appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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