You can go to prison for 10 years for failing to wear face mask

From Thursday, persons who fail to wear a face mask in public risk spending four to 10 years in prison.

If they escape jail term, they could pay a fine of GH¢12,000 to GH¢60,000, or pay the fine, and go to jail at the same time.

The penalties are part of the new Executive Instrument (E.I 164) signed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on June 15, 2020, as part of measures to curb the spread of covid-19.

Graphic online reports that Per E.I. 164, gazetted on Monday, June 15, the mandatory wearing of face masks shall be in force for three months and shall apply to all parts of Ghana.

The President issued the E.I. under the powers granted him under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012).

The new law makes it compulsory for members of the public to “wear face masks, face shields or any other face covering that covers his or her nose and mouth completely when the person is in public or leaving or returning to his place of abode.”

Section 4 (1) of the E.I. 164 states that the police have the authority to make random checks to “ensure enforcement compliance”

According to Section 4(2) of E.I 164, any person who fails to comply with the mandatory wearing of nose masks shall be punished in accordance with Section 6 of Act 1012.

Per Section 6 of Act 1012, “a person who fails to comply with the restrictions imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection 1 of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1,000 penalty unit (Gh¢12,000) and not more than 5,000 penalty units (Gh¢ 60,000) or to a term of imprisonment not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.”