A Civil Society Group, Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH) has called on President Nana Akufo Addo to lockdown Greater Accra and Kumasi to stop the spread of the COVID-19 (Corona Virus) to other Regions.
The Executive Secretary of the group Mr. Azubila Salam Emmanuel in a press statement sighted by this portal revealed that their call on the President was due to the local transmission cases of the virus recorded so far.
He said it is very unfortunate that, Ghana missed the biggest opportunity when Government failed to prevent the COVID-19 virus from entering the country, adding that government negligent opened the flood gate for the Corona Virus to enter the country freely without any restrictions, alternatively, Ghana is now compelled not fail the fight to contain the virus.
Mr. Azubila added that government should introduce more quarantine centers in all Regions as preparedness towards combating Corona Virus covid-19.
He said since the outbreak of the Virus in China in December 2019, it has been national disaster to the affected nations and should not have been treated lightly as most of these cases were imported.
According to him, ADAM-GH is of the view that the response has been slow and unsatisfactory for several reasons and also doubts the commitment of President Nana Akufo-Addo to the fight against the spread of the virus, adding that the President has demonstrated that he is more interested in votes than the lives of Ghanaians.
“Whereas the President has banned all public gatherings, he looked unconcerned as the National Identification Authority (NIA), which is under his office at the presidency, recklessness exposed its staff and citizens in the Eastern Region through their registration exercise in the region. Until some citizens sued the NIA and put injunction on the exercise before the NIA subsequently toped it officials for the fear of contempt of court” he noted.
Mr. Azubila further revealed that the Electoral Commission is currently holding interviews across the country to recruit temporary staff for voter registration adding these acts continue to expose Ghanaians to the horizontal/community spread of the virus which pose a clear and present danger to their lives but President Akufo-Addo seemed not to be aware and looked unconcerned.
According to him, checks being conducted at the various points of entry into the country started rather late and when it started it was ineffective leading to infected persons entering the country without adequate checks, quarantine and testing which the first few reported cases illustrate this concern.
He said many front line workers lack adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to confidently undertake their work and reduce their risk of infection adding that government has failed to provide the needed resources to various health facilities to effectively respond to the outbreak.
He further revealed that the government has failed to announce a comprehensive program to adequately contain the spread of the virus and contain same within the shortest possible time. knowing that Ghana’s healthcare system will be overwhelmed and possibly break down when the rate of infections increase.
This, he called on government to as a matter of urgency stop all public institutions including the Electoral Commission from endangering the lives of Ghanaians through their activities and Develop and announce a coordinated programme of action to curb the spread of the virus and contain the situation within one month.
This he said should include Identifying isolation facilities in every region such as hostels of public tertiary institutions well as trace and quarantine all suspected cases including persons who have had contact with and ensure they are tested.
He added that government should strengthen checks at the various entry points to ensure that all persons entering the country are quarantined and as well work with industry and other stakeholders to activate delivery services especially in Accra, Kumasi and Obuasi.
He further called on government to direct all REGSECs and DISECs to prepare their regional and district level responses and put in place mechanisms to ensure that persons who visit pharmacies for assistance are directly taken to health facilities and tested as well as make available adequate resources to effectively fight the pandemic.
These measures, he said the group believes will go a long way to help curb the spread of the virus.
“So far, the country recorded cases in only Greater Accra, Obuasi and Kumasi and people within the said regions have started running away from these cities to other Regions which is a big threat” he noted.
He stated that Ghana should be able to better manage and contain the situation if not Ghanaians are likely to fight this virus beyond the President four weeks timeline and record high cases in the coming weeks.
“As much as we must cooperate and support government in the fight against the deadly Corona Virus covid-19, ADAM-GH owe it a duty to Ghanaians to hold government accountable in their responses and pragmatic measures put in place to end the calamity as soon as possible” he added.
According to him, the $100 million the President said he has made available is non-existent. This he said is not the time to be running to IMF for world Bank loans.
He called on the government be serious and use the USD 150 million allocated to the E.C for the new voters Register to fight the Corona virus adding that Ghanaians need to be alive before December 2020 elections. “How long can government wait to receive the IMF loan before raising the necessary resources to save this country?” He asked.
Source: Muhammed Faisal Mustapha
