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The deserted beach on May Day
The deserted beach on May Day

Beaches deserted on May Day

Scores of police personnel from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Marine Police and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) yesterday patrolled the coastline to enforce the measures instituted by the government to deter people from trooping to the beaches.

The action was to avert a repetition of an ‘invasion’ of some beaches by some recalcitrant revellers during the Easter Monday holiday, despite the ban being in force.

Yesterday, when the Daily Graphic team visited some of the beaches, the places were calm with no activity as the security personnel were seen at various points on the stretch of the beaches.

However, most of the resorts opened for people to only patronise the restaurants and bars.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, also paid an unannounced visit to a number of the beaches, just to ensure that the law was being enforced.

La Beach

At the Labadi Beach Resorts, a  police officer told the Daily Graphic team that visitors were not allowed to be at the beach because the directive by the government to close down beaches was still being enforced, so their presence there was not to scare visitors but to make sure operators of the beach did not flout the directives.

“We have been here since morning to make sure operators do not flout the directives of the President to close down beaches, it is for the good of the public that we are here,“ he said.

It was observed that workers at the beaches were not working as shops were closed down, except those who lived at the beaches.

In an interaction with the Daily Graphic, a resident of the beach revealed to our reporter that the police early yesterday morning prevented the workers and shop operators from opening their shops, since the beach was closed to the public.

“This morning apart from being allowed to stay here, the police did not allow any worker to open the shop or even enter the premises, those of us staying here were not even allowed to open up our shops”, he said.

Laboma

At the Laboma beach, the story was not different.

Scores of police personnel were seen on the premises of the beach with a sign board indicating that the beach had been closed to the public.

The sign post was written boldly in capital letters : “BEACH CLOSED BY GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY (GTA).”

In an interaction with a police officer by our reporter to find out whether the beach operated on normal days, the response was in the negative.

“We cannot tell if the operators do work on normal working days, but if they do, it may not be booming as a normal holiday”, he stated.

Resorts open, swimming not allowed

A visit to various beach resorts at the Korle Gonno Ablekuma South Sub Metropolitan District showed that the resorts were fully operating but adhering to the safety protocols.

At the Korle Beach Resorts, a worker there informed the Daily Graphic that visitors were allowed to come to the premises but they were not allowed to swim or go near the water.

“We are open for business, but visitors are allowed to use their face masks and wash their hands after they have purchased their tickets before sitting.

“No one is allowed near the beach or the pool, you are only allowed to purchase food, drinks and other items while enjoying the breeze” he stated.

Sakumono

At the Sakumono beach, there were minor altercations between some of the police personnel and some revellers who attempted to defy the orders of the police to leave the facility.

While some revellers argued to be given sometime to relax and leave voluntarily, others sat in their cars and drove off when the police told them they could not stay at the facility since it was closed.

The beach, which is one of the busiest seafront for many revellers and traders, particularly on holidays and weekends, had  less activity as the police team drove away a few revellers who called at the seafront for relaxation.

A photographer, Mr Mohammed Alhassan, lamented about the slow nature of business due to the low patronage of the resort.

"I think government should relax the restrictions on beaches since it is affecting many of us who do not have established businesses but only use the beach platforms as an avenue to make ends meet ," Mr Alhassan said.

Beach Business

Beaches provide business avenue for people, particularly those in the business of vending items ranging from food, water, sunglasses, caps, hats, in some cases, wooden art, paintings, necklaces, among others. 

Most of these vendors, including street musicians, say the closure of beaches has taken away their daily bread since the enforcement of the ban continue to prevent  patronage of the beaches.

A food vendor, Madam Elizabeth Okwei, who had come to the beach to find out whether businesses were operating, told the Daily Graphic that the restrictions were really hurting majority of them who traded along the beaches.

Regional Minister

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, who was at  Lashibi to inspect an ongoing demolition exercise near the Ramsar site, also passed through the Sakumono beach to see for himself the level of enforcement and compliance.

He  stressed that the Regional Coordinating Council would continue to enforce the ban as part of the efforts to check the spread of the COVID-19 disease reports, Benjamin Xornam Glover.

He further said the the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had intensified efforts to ensure the strict compliance of restrictions as far as the COVID-19 was concerned.

The minister also indicated that REGSEC was awaiting the outcome of the investigation report over an alleged gathering by the youth of the Christ Embassy Church who blatantly disregarded the COVID-19 safety protocols at an event at the Fantasy Dome, Trade Fair Centre in Accra last Friday, April 30 2021.

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