Coronavirus: Pastor arrested for contravening ban on social gatherings [VIDEO]

A pastor has been busted at North Suntreso in Kumasi for contravening the ban on social gatherings imposed in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) in Ghana.

Apostle Kofi Nkrumah Sarkodie is said to have organised members of his church for service on Wednesday morning (March 18, 2020).

Police officers stormed the premises and arrested the pastor amid resistance from his congregants, Graphic Online understands.

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Apostle Kofi Nkrumah Sarkodie organised a church service despite the ban on public gatherings, including church services.

Samson K. Nyamekye of Hello FM in Kumasi reported on Accra-based Peace FM, monitored by Graphic Online, that the church members initially resisted attempts by the police to pick up Apostle Sarkodie and started chanting prayers and singing.

The church is located at North Suntreso in the Ashanti Region.

Watch a video of the arrest below. [VIDEO Courtesy of Sampson K. Nyamekye]

Background

The government of Ghana suspended all public gatherings in the country following the outbreak of Coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) in Ghana on Saturday, March 14, 2020.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made this known in a televised national address Sunday night [March 15, 2020].

He said the new directives followed an earlier meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus response which he chaired and led to deliberate on the issues.

"I have decided, in the interest of public safety and protection of our population, to review the public gathering advisories earlier announced."

He said among the gatherings suspended were church services, weddings, funerals and other social gatherings.