Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH), a civil society group has called on president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reconsider his decision of lifting the ban on the partial lockdown in Greater Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa at a time Ghana has recorded 1,042 cases of covid 19.
Ghana has so far recorded a higher number in horizontal transfer of the Corona virus, scoring the first position in West Africa in the highest number of Corona virus and placeing fifth position in the whole of Africa.
Executive Secretary of ADAM-GH, Azubila Salam Emmanuel, said, the President making Socio-economic considerations, the extreme social-distancing and partial lockdown seems to be an intervention available to help individuals stay healthy, break the chain of transmission of the Coronavirus and give the more vulnerable a fighting chance of surviving when coming into contact with the covid 19 pandemic. The biggest socio-economic gains is the public health and safety especially with regards to this deadly virus.
Azubila Salam Emmanuel said Ghana currently has what it takes to feed people at the lockdown areas due to local donations and 1 billion dollars IMF loan facility available purposely for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and therefore, it’s so ambiguous why government lift the ban at this challenging times. The president did well by listening to health Experts and civil society groups when he took the bold decision and announced the partial lockdown at a time we were not having any donations and no hope of getting this one billion dollars loan from IMF. As a country, we were desperately looking for money to fight the spread of the covid 19 and as part of the key measures, lockdown was one of the best option and it’s still remains the best solution so how come lifting the ban when we received one billion dollars loan from IMF and millions of Ghana cedis from local donations whilst our cases kept on increasing?
A country like Zimbabwe had only 25 cases of covid 19 cases with 3 deaths and yet they extended their lockdown until further notice. What is the logic in lifting of the ban on lockdown in Ghana?
Health Experts, Civil society groups and citizens were calling for Nationwide lockdown, others calling for total lockdown and some calling for extension of partial lockdown on the bases of the high rise of our cases. The president could have listen to any of the above suggestions.
Looking at the importance of restriction of movement and money available now, government could have just share 5kg of rice and other items to every household every week for the next two months in the lockdown areas targeting the vulnerable. Government could have also equally conduct mass testing of all towns and cities where Corona virus cases has been recorded and extend the partial lockdown at the hot spot areas.
On this note, ADAM GH is therefore calling on government to reconsider the lifting of ban on the partial lockdown to prevent Ghana from experiencing higher number of cases in the coming weeks.
Signed
Azubila Salam Emmanuel
(Executive secretary ADAM-GH)