By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, Ambrose Sovula, has urged police officers in Kenema to endeavor to serve as example in enforcing COVID-19 regulations. During a visit in the district last weekend, the police chief said officers would not be able to enforce the law on facemasks if they don’t wear one, themselves.
“Since police is charged by law to enforce the COVID-19 regulations, all officers are compelled to wear their masks, as police can’t enforce the law to the public without you serving as an example,” he said.
IGP Sovula himself has been criticized on social media for failing to put on facemask in public. Critics have said officers who are lackadaisical about putting on the protective gear take the cue from him.
‘’Using face masks will help public not to frown at us as police whenever we are enforcing the law,” Sovula noted.
Last week, President Julius Maada Bio lifted and relaxed a number of COVID-19 measures that have been in force since April. A major one was the lifting of the inter district lockdown, which means Sierra Leoneans and residents in the country can now travel across the country as they want. But a major condition attached to this is the uncompromising use of face mask.
For the police, this means more work to ensure basic rules like social distancing in vehicles and the use of facemasks by all passengers and drivers is adhered to.
“As police, we have to monitor drivers and passengers at the check points to ensure that people wear their masks. Be polite in approaching them to wear masks, but don’t be arrogant in executing the law,” Sovula said, whiles urging Police officers to uphold the law under all circumstances.
“Any driver and passenger that fail to use the masks, the vehicles and the passengers should not be allowed to pass at the check point” he added.
Sovula went on to say that popular spots like restaurants and shops should be frequently checked to make sure hand washing and social distancing is ongoing.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police East, Thomas Mustapha Lahai, commended the IGP for travelling down and talking to the officers. AIG Lahai said officers in the region had already been told to wear facemask or risk punitive actions.
“As I took over as regional commander East, I have told all officers to wear mask, otherwise we will send you somewhere that may not be fit for you,” he said.
“Our next step of enforcing the regulations is to be at parks to check for people boarding vehicles without using their masks,” AIG Lahai added.
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