Ghanaians, particularly the hypocrites, will now appreciate why there is always the need to put the interest of the nation ahead of partisan interest.
The Journalists, civil society, clergy and others who looked on while Akufo Addo abandoned and/or refused to commission health centres completed by the John Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government will now come to terms with reality.
The ‘good news’ about COVID19 is that both the poor and the rich must be treated in their respective countries. Those who can afford treatments abroad cannot do so. The reason is simple, the countries that have the best of health facilities in the world are the most hit with the virus. These countries dread foreigners travelling into their countries. So for the first time, the rich cannot travel outside Ghana for treatment while we the poor look up to God for protection.
What Ghana needs now is effective and accessible healthcare system. The virus is fast spreading in Ghana and the only way to arrest it, aside the preventive measures, is prompt treatment. Unfortunately, some of the hospitals built by former President Mahama are under lock and key for reasons being that when they are opened, credit will go to Mr. Mahama Today, we have been hit with a deadly virus and the government of the day is patently confused as to how to handle the situation.
Former President Mahama and the NDC foresaw a day like this where we have to take our destinies into our own hands. He decided to invest heavily in the health sector. All that the former President relished is a robust health sector that is capable of withstanding situations like what we have at hand. Many did not understand his concept, hence decided to kick him out of power. Even when those they preferred won power and decided not to open these hospitals, those who ought to speak truth to power maintained deafening silence, thinking by speaking out, it will lower the public ratings of the government they helped in bringing to power.
Here we are in this sad state. We are all vulnerable. Our forefathers say, ‘rain does not fall on one roof’. Nobody knows who will be the next person to be knocked down by the virus. Government officials keep romancing themselves with the phrase “the cases recorded so far are all imported”. If the cases are imported and the affected persons are in the country, the likelihood of us recording a ‘domestic’ case is high. So far, all we hear and see is talk-shop laden with senseless gimmicky. There is no clear cut preventive ‘package’ announced by government.
If Akufo Addo had commissioned the hospitals completed by Mahama and continue the ones at various stages of completion, the Ghana Health Service could use some of the hospitals as emergency centres. Unfortunately, these hospitals are in the bush housing rodents and reptiles. It takes a visionary leader to foresee a day like this and prepare towards it. That was exactly what former President Mahama intended doing. When President Akufo Addo lined-up ambulances at the Black Star square to announce to the world that he has provided ambulances to every Constituency, I questioned the importance of the ambulances without healthcare centres. Here we are, when, God forbid, you are suspected to have contracted the virus, the ambulances will come and pick you but will have nowhere to take you. That is how backward those we are using our taxes to pay are thinking.
The Health Ministry has announced 6 cases with over 100 contacts. This is scary for a country like Ghana with a porous health system. Ominously, the Health Ministry is stocked with persons without any technical knowledge on health care. The Minister himself is a chartered accountant and whatever informed the President’s decision to send him there, only God knows. His deputy, Tina Mensah, is just occupying space at the ministry and feeding on the public treasury. The other deputy is not too different.
This puts us in a conundrum and our only hope now is God/Allah. The WHO and others that we could fall on for help are themselves extremely vulnerable. It’s a situation of each one for himself, God for us all.
Let’s all adhere to the safety rules. The best approach now is for everybody to take charge of his/her safety. The government of the day is helpless. Never underestimate the effect of the virus. Stay safe. We are all in the hands of God/Allah.
Amorse Blessing Amos
Deputy Greater Accra Regional Youth Organizer
National Democratic Congress