An inspection and sensitization exercise undertaken by the Regional Environmental Health Department and the Regional Coordinating Council on Tuesday revealed widespread neglect.

Although most traders and customers were in possession of facemasks, very few wore them actively.

There is also no regard for social distancing directives, as traders and business operators allowed crowding at their premises.

Some traders said they feared they might lose customers if they tried to impose on them the contact and masking rules.

Commercial drivers are also operating unmasked, encouraging passengers and conductor assistants to neglect the protocols.

None of the handwashing stations provided by the Assembly and other entities could be found, whiles two large water tanks donated by an NGO for the purpose stood empty.

There seems to be no one directly in charge of keeping the facilities in use.

Some businesses that maintained hand-washing stations kept them indoors to keep others who refused to get one for themselves from using them.

The Environmental Health Department had on Monday, toured shops and businesses in the Ho township, looking out for handwashing facilities, and encouraged attendants as frontline workers, to always mask up to minimize the risks of contacting the virus.

Mrs Sybil Boison, Volta Environmental Health Officer, advised that traders always carried on water and hand sanitizers, and also endeavor to keep the meter-long distance from others.