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Tag: Akufo-Addo

  • GJA petitions Akufo-Addo to provide stimulus packages for media houses

    The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has forwarded a petition to President Nana Akufo-Addo for journalists to be considered in the disbursement of a stimulus package announced by the government last month.

    The GJA wants the government to support media houses that are struggling due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

    President Mr. Affail Monney says the outfit petitioned the president because some media organizations and journalists are facing serious challenges due to the impact the outbreak has had on the media houses.

    “We have crafted a proposal which has been sent to the government to consider journalists in the disbursement of the COVID-19 stimulus package,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the disbursement of a GHC 600 million stimulus package to aid small businesses affected by the coronavirus will commence this month.

    As part of measures to support ailing firms, the government earmarked the funds out of a $1billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility.

    Addressing workers on May Day, Mr Akufo-Addo said, “the government will from this month of May, rollout a soft-loan scheme up to a total of GHC 600million to support micro, small and medium scale companies”.

    The flexible loan will have a two-year repayment period.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • A virus in the president’s speech?

    Covid19 pandemic is still on the rise since it outbreak in China which has gone a long way to hit countries worldwide. According to John Hopkins University as at 22:25 GMT, 27/04/2020 the world recorded 3,034,801 total confirmed cases, 210,551 deaths from the disease. Ghana is one of the countries hit, recorded 2,169 total confirmed cases, 18 deaths according to Ghana Health Service as of the same date and time.

    His Excellency President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo as part of his efforts to fight this deadly virus have been giving the country a regular press update on our situation as a country and necessary steps and decisions taken to win the fight. These speeches are much appreciated by the Ghanaian populace.

    However, the content gets criticized whenever there are gaps or lack of clarity on some of the policies, interventions, and directives propounded.

    Criticism in the midst of the crisis should be constructive, that is the only way it can be helpful to this course. I have found a little virus which can become deadly as well if not managed properly. This virus in few words is the President’s’ explanation or reasons given for the deaths recorded by the Ghana Health Service. This information is privy to him anyway but does he have to necessarily tell us?

    Reasons why I think its unnecessary

    Let’s do a quick throwback, On the 27th March 2020 , The president in his speech said “Four (4) persons, who had tested positive for the virus, but were aged and had other serious, underlying medical conditions, have lost their lives. May their souls rest in perfect peace.”

    On the 5th of April, He said; “Two (2) persons are moderately ill, and five (5) persons, as I said before, have lost their lives.”

    In his recent speech, that is his Eighth, 26th April 2020, He made this statement as he sort to give hints on why there is a need to strengthen the health system; “Whilst maternal, new-born, adolescent health and nutrition remain our top priorities, we must pay increased attention to chronic, noncommunicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma, which have proved to be the common risk factors for the eleven (11) deaths we have recorded from the virus.

    The president in his addresses purports to spread calm by telling us that those with the underlying medical conditions he listed are those at risk and are those who have died from the disease. It is fair but unfortunate because of the following;

    1. There is a greater number of people who have at least one of the underlying conditions; heart disease, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, cancer etc. According to WHO; cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease, and reduction in suicide mortality rates NCDs collectively caused 41 million deaths worldwide in 2016, equivalent to 71% of all global deaths.

    So in his quest to boost the morale of the general populace he is in turn killing the spirit of those with such conditions which constitutes quite a number.

    2. It is also not founded that all those recovered are people who do not have any of the underlined conditions. If people in this category are not given hope of getting recovery, you may end up speeding the toll the virus can have on them if they contract it which could lead to more deaths.

    A documentation by the WHO on the 27/03/2020 recorded Dr Hans Kluge who answered a question put before him: What is the psychological impact of this disease on the elderly?

    “Regarding older people and also those with underlying health conditions, having been identified as more vulnerable to COVID-19, and to be told that you are very vulnerable, can be extremely frightening and very fear-inducing. The psychological impacts for these populations can include anxiety and feeling stressed or angry. Its impacts can be particularly difficult for older people who may be experiencing cognitive decline or dementia. And some older people may already be socially isolated and experiencing loneliness which can worsen mental health.” As at now most people do know it all has to do with the immune system but the constant reminder by the president in his effort to calm nerves is also increasing fear in others. 3.The Ghana Health Service since the start of the spread of the virus until a week ago puts out situational update but do not add in detail why deaths were recorded even though they have adequate information. If it were that important , wouldn’t they have? Does it really make any difference if details of information were given out?. Most leaders around the world leave updating of covid19 cases to the appropriate authorities. In another angle, he doesn’t explain how people do recover or how they catch the virus, should deaths should be any different. 4. Backed by science and data as the president uses for most of his decisions, the age and medical conditions he placed in the context are also not entirely accurate. Over the world, ages do not really matter. There have been deaths in all ranges of ages. Likewise there are people who do not have any of the underlined conditions whom have also died. No group of people are susceptible to the disease. 5. As we have not being able to contain the virus since it keeps spreading to new places, it will be quite irresponsible to paint a picture in a way that seems to mean everything is under control. Not to be a prophet of doom but what if case counts increase drastically? Definitely that will mean much more factors will or can cause more deaths. And if it does, will he update us on what amounted to those deaths? Certainly not.

    I am strongly of the view that there is no need for the update on the cases recorded, be it total cases confirmed, total recovery and number of deaths. But to be fair, he has been doing it from day one. The intention behind putting out reasons for the deaths might be good but the adverse effect is extremely great and cannot be overlooked. Everyone is joining hands to help fight covid19. The enemy is the virus ,not one another.

    Our anxiety and fears should be acknowledged and not be ignored, but better understood and addressed by individuals, communities and governments,” Dr Hans Kluge.

    This is my little way of supporting the course. As little of a problem it may look could silently act like a virus by working on the mental health of people which could help increase deaths. The mind is powerful and I think the idea to omit that portion won’t take anything away from him.

    By: Dzorlevo Bright

    Email: bsmasher74@gmail.com

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of backend.theindependentghana.com. Our outfit will hereby not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article.”

    Columnist: Dzorlevo Bright

  • Akufo-Addo has no power to grant tax waiver Minority Leader

    Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, says President Akufo-Addo should not have announced the tax waiver for health care personnel as if he had the power to grant it.

    He says the President should have acknowledged that per the constitution of Ghana, it is only Parliament that can give tax waivers and not the president.

    “The president has no power to grant any tax waiver. And let it be known that as President of Ghana, he has no such power,” the Member of Parliament for Tamale South said whilst the House approved a ¢288.6 million tax waiver for health care workers to motivate them in the fight against Covid-19.

    It will be recalled the President on April 5, 2020, announced the tax waivers for health care personnel in one of his Covid-19 addresses. “All health workers will not pay taxes on their emoluments for the next three months; i.e. April, May and June,” he said.

    Mr. Iddrisu says though the Minority supports the tax waivers for healthcare workers, the President should have been measured in the way he framed his announcement.

    “Mr. Speaker, we have all had the privilege of writing presidential speeches. What you people should do to help the President is that he should say, I am making a request to parliament to grant tax waivers.

    “He does not speak authoritatively as if the power of that exemption is vested in him as executive president. President Nana Akufo-Addo has no such powers. No President of the Republic has such powers,” Mr. Iddrisu added.

    Haruna Idrisu
    Minority Leader, Haruna Idrisu

    Article 174 (1-2) of the constitution is emphatic that “No taxation shall be imposed otherwise than by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament. Where an Act, enacted in accordance with clause (1) of this article, confers power on any person or authority to waive or vary a tax imposed by that Act, the exercise of the power of waiver or variation, in favour of any person or authority, shall be subject to the prior approval of Parliament by resolution.”

    Responding to the concern, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, agreed that only Parliament can grant any tax waiver.

    “…it has to do with, maybe, how the statement was couched…,” the MP for Suame noted.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • My track record more outstanding than Akufo-Addo – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has thrown down the gauntlet to President Nana Akufo-Addo to compare track records of the previous administration and that of the incumbent government.

    Addressing the nation in a digital conversation, former President Mahama lamented about failures of the Akufo-Addo government to address the health system in Ghana.

    According to him, the President has abandoned a number of hospitals that he (Mahama) constructed while in office.

    “Ghanaians die when hospitals completed and ready with a combined capacity of 900 beds have been left standing idle. But for the deliberate slowdown of the operationalization of the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the Bank hospital, the unacceptable no-bed syndrome would not have claimed these precious lives. Talking about the Bank hospital, a rather curious case of that hospital and the international Maritime hospital cannot escape attention. These are ultramodern world-class hospitals built with public funds and yet have either remained shut or under-utilized. Particularly worrying is the abandonment of some major health facilities that have reached an advanced stage of completion by the time we left office.

    “. . By early 2016, the Dodowa hospital had been completed and commissioned into use while those at Kumahu, Abetifi and Fomena had reached various advanced stages of construction by the time I left office in January 2017. Whatever the challenges with these projects, they should not have been left abandoned and left at the mercy of invading weeds and reptiles, and in some cases been affected by bushfires,” he stated.

    Making reference to the President’s promise of 88 Regional and 6 district hospitals in the country, Mr. Mahama noted that the President has plagiarized his ideas and repackaged them to Ghanaians as new policies by his (Akufo-Addo) government.

    “In his last broadcast and indeed previous ones, the President echoed many of the ideas and policies I have previously outlined. It is gratifying to note that he is listening. Any addition to our health infrastructure is ordinarily welcome but it is regrettable that it had to take COVID-19 to jolt him into this civility about the importance of such critical investments in healthcare.”

    The Ex-President implicatively challenged President Nana Akufo-Addo to prove his achievements since coming into power.

    “The fundamental difference between our two respective positions is that I come to the table with an outstanding track record of actually delivering many of such projects with less resources than he has had in the last three and half years. Fellow Ghanaians, the NDC comes to the table with a clear plan of modernization of our healthcare system. This plan considers global best practices and will have features that guarantee equitable access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians,” Mr. Mahama stressed.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Akufo-Addo must reconsider UNIPASS deal – GCNet

    The management of GCNet has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reconsider the UNIPASS deal in the interest of the state.

    Head of Corporate Affairs Madam Aba Lokko speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said the president has been ill-advised on the matter.

    He told host Kwabena Agyapong that the UNIPASS deal has been fraught with inefficiency, controversies despite the huge support it got from the government.

    GCNet on Thursday restored its systems following the challenges witnessed at the ports with the newly introduced Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) UNIPASS.

    UNIPASS was introduced by the government to replace the single window platform Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS) from GCNet and West Blue Consult at the ports.

    GRA started using the system on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, amidst some technical challenges.

    A statement issued by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Tuesday said it was consulting with the management of GCNet for the restoration of the GCNet GCMS services while the challenges with UNIPASS are fixed.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the Ag. Commissioner-General of the GRA, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, said “It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) that Customs House Agents/declarants are facing some challenges processing their Customs documents on the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS).

    The Head of Corporate Affairs confirmed the consultation and disclosed they resumed operations on Thursday.

    Madam Lokko said they recorded 3,000 declarations after resuming their operations yesterday.

    She described the circumstances that led to their work being handed over to UNIPASS as strange considering the competency with which they worked.

    She opined the state is looking forward to have legacy companies and GCNET is one of such companies that must be protected since the state has higher stakes in the company compared to UNIPASS.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Well continue to provide relief – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians his administration will intensify the implementation of the four-point national strategy on formalisation to facilitate the identification and provision of support, relief and stimulus packages to businesses and workers in these difficult times.

    The president also assured organised labour that the government will continue to deepen its engagement with them, as we try to mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy, businesses and jobs.

    He gave the assurances when he addressed a closed-door May Day celebration on Friday, May 1, 2020.

    He urged Ghanaians to continue to sacrifice so that we do not have to bear a greater cost in the future. All sections of society must see this sacrifice as a common effort to defeat this common enemy.

    The president said, “steps at increasing further our testing capacity have been taken, with the coming on stream of the Veterinary Laboratory in Accra, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory also in Accra, the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, and the Veterinary Laboratory in Pong-Tamale, to aid the labours of the Noguchi Research Institute, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, and the National Public Health Reference Laboratory at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital.”

    He added, “A number of isolation, quarantine and treatment facilities have also been identified across the country for use. The nation is profoundly grateful to the Church of Pentecost for the generous, Christian gesture of making available its multipurpose Convention Centre, at Gomoa Fetteh, as an isolation centre which can house over one thousand (1,000) persons and three hundred (300) medical staff.”

    He continued: “It is important for every Ghanaian to note that the more people we test for the virus, the more persons we will discover as positive, and, thus, have the opportunity to isolate and treat them. The implementation of this strategy of tracing, testing and treating is our surest way of rooting out the virus.

    As I have stated, time and again, all the measures put in place to combat the spread of the disease are under constant review, and Government will not hesitate to cordon, impose a curfew, trace, test, and treat persons in communities where we are witnessing the significant spread of infections.

    I will continue to urge all of us to continue to practice social distancing, wash our hands with soap under running water, refrain from shaking hands, and, wear our masks whenever we leave our homes. Businesses and other workplaces should operate, and observe staff management and workplace protocols of social distancing. This applies equally forcefully to public transport operators and users of our market places. We must observe these measures religiously, as they are the weapons of our battle against the virus.”

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: The more we test, the more cases well find Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said as of Thursday, 30 April 2020, Ghana has “conducted a total of one hundred and thirteen thousand, four hundred and ninety-seven (113,497) tests” for COVID-19, “the most per million people of any country in Africa, with two thousand, and seventy-four (2,074) testing positive”, noting that as the country conducts more tests, more positive cases would be found and isolated in time to curb the spread.

    In his May Day speech on Friday, 1 May 2020, he said: “Our recoveries have increased from one hundred and eighty-eight (188) to two hundred and twelve (212), and the number of deaths, sadly, stands at seventeen (17)”.

    “Our positivity rate has gone up marginally from 1.5% to 1.8%, six (6) persons are critically ill, and one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-nine (1,839) persons are well and responding to treatment in health facilities or are being managed from home.

    “This, in effect, means that there is, presently, no big pressure on our healthcare facilities to manage these cases. We pray to God it stays that way”.

    According to him, “steps at increasing further our testing capacity have been taken, with the coming on stream of the Veterinary Laboratory in Accra, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory also in Accra, the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, and the Veterinary Laboratory in Pong-Tamale, to aid the labours of the Noguchi Research Institute, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, and the National Public Health Reference Laboratory at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital”.

    The President also said isolation, quarantine and treatment facilities have been identified across the country for use.

    “The nation is profoundly grateful to the Church of Pentecost for the generous, Christian gesture of making available its multipurpose Convention Centre, at Gomoa Fetteh, as an isolation centre which can house over one thousand (1,000) persons and three hundred (300) medical staff”, he said.

    “It is important for every Ghanaian”, the President said, “to note that the more people we test for the virus, the more persons we will discover as positive, and, thus, have the opportunity to isolate and treat them. The implementation of this strategy of tracing, testing and treating is our surest way of rooting out the virus”.

    Mr Akufo-Addo reiterated that should there be a need for stricter measures to contain the spread, his government would not hesitate to impose them.

    “As I have stated, time and again, all the measures put in place to combat the spread of the disease are under constant review, and the government will not hesitate to cordon [off], impose a curfew, trace, test, and treat persons in communities where we are witnessing the significant spread of infections.

    “I will continue to urge all of us to continue to practise social-distancing, wash our hands with soap under running water, refrain from shaking hands, and, wear our masks whenever we leave our homes. Businesses and other workplaces should operate, and observe staff management and workplace protocols of social distancing. This applies equally forcefully to public transport operators and users of our market places. We must observe these measures religiously, as they are the weapons of our battle against the virus.

    “With the suspension of all public gatherings still in force, and our schools closed, Government has taken the decision to extend further, the closure of our borders for a month, effective 1am on Monday, 4th May, until Sunday, 31st May. We know that the overwhelming majority of positive cases came from travellers or contacts of travellers. So, we have no option but to keep our borders closed until we are confident that we have put in place measures to prevent travellers from importing the virus.

    “These restrictions cannot and will not be a permanent feature of our lives, but they are, for now, essential to our survival. As I said last Sunday, I shall be outlining, shortly, the steps for, systematically, easing the restrictive measures to bring us back to normality.

    The President also urged Ghanaians to stop stigmatising recovered patients.

    “I would plead with you stop the stigmatisation of recovered persons as it will rather drive people away from getting screened, tested and treated. The stigmatisation of recovered persons must not go on, because if the virus did not end their lives and livelihoods, the stigma from members of their communities should not. The overwhelming majority of them will continue to live perfectly normal lives, and cease to be sources of infections.”

    Source: Class FM

  • Akufo-Addo wont stay on as president if 2020 elections dont come off Majority Leader

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will not continue to wield power as the Commander in Chief and first gentleman of the land even if the Electoral Commission (EC) is unable to conduct the 2020 presidential and parliament elections due to the outbreak of the global pandemic, the Coronavirus, Majority Leader of Parliament has disclosed.

    While addressing members of the House after presenting the business statement, Mr KyeiMensah-Bonsu intimated that, although there was no clear cut provision in the constituency on who becomes president in the event of unforeseen circumstances causing the EC to not hold elections, Nana Akufo-Addo had already hinted of not staying on beyond his mandatory term.

    He disclosed that the president had revealed in previous engagements that he did not have any intentions of staying on as president after January 6, 2021, if the EC fails to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in December due to the Coronavirus which presently has no end in sight.

    “The President does not intend to stay one day beyond the constitutional mandate given to him up to the midnight of January 6, 2020, and has strongly urged that whatever must be done in the current circumstances must be done,” he said.

    The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs response came on the back of concerns by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu on the need for the House to invite the electoral body to provide updates on their preparedness ahead of the December polls this year.

    “The independent EC, created under Article 45 of the Constitution, owes members of this House and Ghanaians a duty, hence they must be summoned to appear before the House to give their roadmap as to their preparedness in view of COVID-19.

    “Our democracy has evolved and our democracy will survive COVID-19,” he said, saying that “if we cannot get them to come and brief the Committee of the Whole at least they must come to the Special Budget Committee,” he noted.

    Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu, however, stressed that regardless of whatever happens with the EC, the president was bent on stepping down once his tenure was over and had already assured Ghanaians to that effect.

    “So Mr Speaker, we all have to look up to the Electoral Commission to put in the required measures for the conduct of the elections,” he said.

    “Because the Constitution we all do recognise is a bit ambivalent beyond January 7, 2021 when elections cannot be conducted,” he said, claiming that the Constitution was also not clear who should be the President in times of unforeseen circumstances.

    “There is a bit of ambivalence and some lacuna except to say that for Parliament in the event of any emergency, provision is made expressly under the Constitution to have the life of Parliament extended by one year and in any event not more than four years.

    “In the 12 months, who becomes the head of state? Is it Speaker in the absence of the President or the Vice President? That is a bit troubling to us as a nation,” he added.

    Graphic reports that the legislator pointed out that in any event, the Constitution provided that when the Speaker acted as the President in the absence of a President or a Vice President, elections must be conducted within three months to elect a President.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Nothing else matters for me than to lead Ghana out of COVID-19 crisis, rebuild the economy Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged to do everything within his means to protect the lives of citizens in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

    According to him, nothing else matters than to put an end to this pandemic and rebuild the economy once again as the leader of the country.

    He reiterated his commitment saying “No country on earth has been spared the ravages of this virus, and my single-minded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis, protect our population from the virus, and see to the rebuilding of our economy. Nothing else matters for me.”

    Commending workers as the country celebrates May Day today, President Akufo-Addo said he appreciates the efforts and sacrifices workers have made towards the progress of this nation.

    According to him, it is the collective responsibility of every worker in the country to help with the fight against the virus by planning a course that will take us to the path of sustained growth, progress, and prosperity.

    “Today, our nation requires its active involvement in this fight against the pandemic, and I call upon all working people to step forward again. I am confident that together if we remain united and resolute and maintain discipline and self-discipline, we shall defeat this virus,” he noted.

    Source: ABCNewsgh.com

  • My single-minded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis Akufo-Addo

    The president has stated that his utmost desire is to wipe away the Coronavirus and bring the country back into normalcy.

    According to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his foremost duty is to protect the Ghanaian populace with a determination to do just that.

    Globally COVID-19 has erupted the socio-economic nations including many healthcare systems due to the unpredictable nature of the novel Coronavirus.

    “No country on earth has been spared the ravages of this virus, and my single-minded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis, protect our population from the virus, and see to the rebuilding of our economy. Nothing else matters for me.”

    He was speaking during a virtual May Day celebration to honour Ghanaian workers on Friday, May 1, 2020.

    President Akufo-Addo in his address applauded workers for their contributions towards nation-building as Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate workers day.

    “We recognise and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made towards the construction of the happy and prosperous Ghana we seek, and, on this day, I say Ayekoo to each one of you.” He said.

    Meanwhile, the president announced an extension of the closure of borders for one month starting Monday, May 4 to May 31, 2020.

    This he adds is as a result of containing the spread of the virus due to the majority of positive cases coming from travelers or contact of travelers.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: A ‘weaker response’ would have ‘jeopardised’ economic gains Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said he took robust and drastic measures which included the closure of the borders, as part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic because, in his view, a weaker response would certainly threaten the lives and livelihood of Ghanaians.

    He noted that the impact of COVID-19 cannot be underestimated, hence the tough measures he adopted.

    Speaking in the studios of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) on May Day, the President said: “As government and social partners, it is our collective responsibility to chart our own course out of this pandemic”.

    “It is obvious that a weak response to COVID-19 will jeopardise the gains made to create a buoyant economy and will worsen the lives and livelihood s of all Ghanaians.”

    The President also said he has charged Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to work with the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to draft a policy that will further strengthen the industry and the agriculture sectors of the economy to mitigate and fix the economic damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The President said his administration is determined to deal with the economic impact of the pandemic through innovative ways.

    Mr Akufo-Addo said: “Discussions are ongoing with the World Bank to raise more funds which should be completed soon”.

    “I have charged the Minister of Finance to work with the Bank of Ghana to design innovative policies and find more resources to strengthen the productive sectors of the economy, particularly industry and agriculture. I understand that the process will shortly yield positive results.”

    He added: “The Minister of Finance and his South African counterpart, are leading the efforts of African ministers of finance to take debt reliefs for our economies.

    “The World Bank has granted a debt repayment standstill for the next nine months, which will result in our delayed principal interest payments totalling $500 million.”

    Mr Akufo-Addo further said that job creation is a priority for his government.

    He said several measures have been taken to create jobs for Ghanaians and, or, create the enabling environment for Ghanaians to create jobs and wealth for themselves.

    “Job creation is one of the priorities of this government,” he said, adding that it is a social contract with the people, hence bold steps have been taken to that effect.

    He applauded workers for their contributions toward nation-building as Ghana joins the rest of the world to celebrate them.

    “We recognise and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made toward the construction of the happy and prosperous Ghana we seek, and, on this day, I say Ayekoo to each one of you,” Nana Akufo-Addo said in his May Day message to Ghanaian workers.

    Source: Class FM

  • Job creation is my priority Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that job creation is a priority of his government.

    He noted several measures have been taken to create jobs for Ghanaians and, or, create the enabling environment for Ghanaians to create jobs and wealth for themselves.

    Speaking at the May Day celebration in the studios of the GBC on Friday, 1 May 2020, Akufo-Addo said: “Job creation is one of the most priority of this government,” adding that it is a social contract with the people hence bold steps have been taken to that effect.

    He applauded workers for their contributions towards nation-building.

    “We recognise and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made towards the construction of the happy and prosperous Ghana we seek, and, on this day, I say Ayekoo to each one of you.”

    This year’s May Day celebration was marked at the GBC studios with a limited number of persons from organised labour as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Source: Class FM

  • May Day: Ayekoo to all workers Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has applauded workers for their contributions towards nation-building as Ghana joins the rest of the world to celebrate May Day today 1 May 2020.

    “We recognise and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made towards the construction of the happy and prosperous Ghana we seek, and, on this day, I say Ayekoo to each one of you,” Nana Akufo-Addo said in his May Day message to Ghanaian workers.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has applauded workers for their contributions towards nation-building as Ghana joins the rest of the world to celebrate May Day today 1 May 2020.

    “We recognise and appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made towards the construction of the happy and prosperous Ghana we seek, and, on this day, I say Ayekoo to each one of you,” Nana Akufo-Addo said in his May Day message to Ghanaian workers.

    Source: Class FM

  • Akufo-Addo’s 88 new hospitals in a year not feasible – Allotey Jacobs

    Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, says even though the 88 district hospitals yet to be constructed by the ruling government is commendable, he strongly believes that it cannot be done in a year.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced plans to construct 88 new district hospitals and six new regional hospitals within a year.

    In his eighth address to the nation on the coronavirus pandemic, he indicated that “there are 88 districts in our country without district hospitals; we have six new regions without regional hospitals; we do not have five infectious disease control centres dotted across the country, and we do not have enough testing and isolation centres for diseases like COVD-19. We must do something urgently about this”

    While this move has been highly commended due to the infrastructure deficit in the health sector, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) thinks it is an attempt to solicit for votes from Ghanaians and secure a second term for the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

    The former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show, ‘Kokrokoo’, averred that “they cannot construct the 88 within one year; just like how we promised to construct 200 E-blocks and we couldn’t complete all; that’s what happens…”

    Giving reasons for his remarks, he said politicians often start projects hoping to complete during their tenure; however, when they leave office without completing them, they are often abandoned by the successors.

    “Some may say it’s politics…but often if you are not given a second chance, your projects are truncated unless you have a sympathetic leader; someone who is interested in the wellbeing of Ghanaians and this country,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Allotey Jacobs says it’s early days yet to criticize President Akufo-Addo over the yet to be constructed health facilities.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Akufo-Addo saved economy by lifting lockdown – Allotey Jacobs

    Allotey Jacobs, former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has backed President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift restrictions on movements in the country.

    President Akufo-Addo enforced a partial lockdown on Ghanaians following the outbreak of Coronavirus and also introduced restrictions on public gatherings resulting in the closure of schools and all religious gatherings.

    The President’s lockdown directives were in line with his goals to ensure the Coronavirus pandemic is well managed and to safeguard Ghanaians.

    The President found it prudent to lift the lockdown which lasted for three weeks to give the citizenry freedom of movement and also provide relief to traders in the country but his decision was met with agitations from some Ghanaians and particularly the leadership and members of the opposition National Democratic Congress.

    According to the National Democratic Congress, the lifting of restrictions on movement was premature looking at the rise in the case count of COVID-19 in the country.

    Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s flagship programme ‘Kokrokoo’, Allotey Jacobs believes the President took the right decision by lifting the lockdown.

    In his candid opinion, “if the President had not lifted the ban, Ghana’s economy would grind to a halt. I believe so too, very seriously”.

    Ghana has since recorded 1,671 COVID-19 cases from over 100,000 samples tested and 188 recoveries with 16 deaths.

    Though the numbers seem overwhelming, the positivity rate of the virus infection is below 2 percent and this is seen as one of the lowest worldwide.

     

    Source:  Peace FM

  • 88 Hospitals: Akufo-Addo scoring cheap political points – Alex Segbefia

    Former Minister for Health, Alex Segbefia says President Akufo-Addo’s recent hospital pledge has opened a political door which is unfortunate. President Akufo-Addo in his 8th COVID-19 address to the nation promised to build some 88 hospitals within a year to boost Ghana’s health sector.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) member says he has followed all the addresses given by the President on COVID-19 but the recent pledge to build some 88 hospitals was to score political points.

    “I think that up until the point where the President entered into politics with his presentation he was encouraging Ghanaians and trying to unite as people, putting out strategies and measures adopted by the government but it took a different turn when he delved into politics and talked about health infrastructure, I think it was a deviation from how he delivered his speeches, he opened a political door which should not have been opened.”

    On Monday Ranking Member on Health Committee Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also accused the President Akufo-Addo of using COVID-19 pandemic to do a general campaign for the upcoming 2020 elections.

    President Akufo-Addo in his 8th national address to the nation on measure his government is taking to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic said 88 district and 6 regional hospitals would be constructed within a year.

    Ever since the President made this promise, there has been divided opinions as some believe it is in the right direction and can be achieved, others also say this will not be possible as the government has not been able to do much in terms of infrastructure in the health sector.

    : 

     

    Source: Prime News Ghana

  • Medikal applauds President Akufo-Addo

    President Akufo-Addo has been receiving a lot of plaudits from many people because of how he has handled things in the fight against the deadly coronavirus disease.

    The commendations have come in from both locals and other respected foreign personalities.

    Quite recently, English writer and television personality Piers Morgan on his “Good Morning Britain: show which airs on ITV took time off to give the first gentleman one of the most notable commendations from a foreign personality.

    Well, it seems AMG Business rapper, Medikal has also noticed that the president is doing that is worthy of praise.

    In a post sighted on his Twitter page, he wrote: “President Nana Akufu- Addo is doing a great job for the country!”

    Source: zionfelix.net

  • Coronavirus: Restrictive measures to be lifted soon Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that his government is working on a comprehensive plan to soon lift the restrictions imposed to curtail the spread of coronavirus in Ghana.

    The President imposed a lockdown down on Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi and contiguous districts were lifted last week.

    However, a ban on public gathering has remained in force for more than one month.

    In his 8th address to the nation on the measure taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Sunday night, President Akufo Addo stated that the nation has made modest gains in the fight against the virus, which makes it necessary to ease the restriction.

    “I should be outlining shortly the path for bringing the restrictive measures systematically to an end and defining the basket of measures for the revival and growth of our national economy. We have to own our future.”

    Meanwhile, the President has extended the ban on public gatherings by two weeks.

     

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • You have become a global icon NUGS to Akufo-Addo

    The National Union of Ghana Students has lauded President Nana Akufo-Addo for his leadership during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

    “The student movement has closely monitored and learnt a lot from your passion and temerity to able to rid the nation and Africa of this Coronavirus. The student union wishes to commend your efforts; your bold, decisive and extraordinary leadership in these difficult times. We are even more proud to associate with your leadership, because, in 3 years, you have become an African and global icon.”

    These were the words of the President of the National Union of Ghana Students, Isaac J. Hyde, when he led a delegation made up of leaders of student unions across the country to honour an invitation by the President to the Jubilee House on Friday, 24th April, 2020.

    Appreciating the efforts of the President in the fight against COVID-19, he said, “a few days ago in a conference of student unions across Africa, one thing was clear. Ghana under your leadership gained commendation as a sub-regional force in adopting a comprehensive and aggressive model for fighting the Coronavirus”

    According to him, this clearly means “the future leaders of this country and Africa have endorsed your courageous leadership.”

    Occasioned at the behest of the President, the meeting also discussed “the few concerns and recommendations about the new e-learning directives in the education sector” which was introduced following the suspension of the normal school schedule due to the pandemic.

    Acknowledging the support that the Ministry of Education has extended to the student union, he said “the leadership of Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh has been forthwith with concerns from the students front, which has seen to the unity of the National Union of Students.

    “We also commend the Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Hon Prof Yankah, for his efforts in engaging the student union. Barely a week ago, we presented a petition raising some concerns across the student front to the outfit of the Ministry of Education. We were very amazed that, in less than 24 hours, we were called into a meeting so that we can put our issues up so that major stakeholders like the National Council for Tertiary Education, the Vice-Chancellors Ghana and other relevant stakeholders were brought together as much as possible for our issues to be addressed”, he added.

    He indicated that though “all the issues have not been completely dealt with, we are very hopeful. The sort of attention and recognition given to the issues we presented to the Ministry told us that indeed this is a government that is very much concerned about our education.”

    Source: Jubilee House 

  • Live by the values of Ramadan Akufo-Addo to Muslims

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Muslims in Ghana to be committed to the principles of love, sacrifice and dedication to duty as they begin their annual Ramadan this year.

    Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide, as a month of fasting and prayer.

    Its annual observance is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam.

    Nana Akufo-Addo, in a message to wish Muslims well as they embark on the 30-day fast, encouraged them to continue to commit themselves to the good of humankind even after the fast.

    The full message read: “I send greetings to Muslims in Ghana and around the world on the occasion of the Ramadan fast. The month of Ramadan has been instituted for Muslims to dedicate themselves to God and to the service of humankind. It is a month of intense devotion and commitment to the principles of love, sacrifice and dedication to duty.

    “In this month, let us strive to live by these values so that even beyond Ramadan we continue to commit ourselves to the good of humankind and our fellow Ghanaians. I wish all Muslims the best of the month. May the Almighty Allah bless us all and make our nation great and strong.”

    Source: Class FM

  • Report accurately on coronavirus – Akufo-Addo to media

    President Akufo-Addo has thrown a challenge to members of the media, to ensure true and accurate reportage on all things Covid-19.

    The president said this when he addressed the leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRIMPAG) and the National Media Commission (NMC), at the Jubilee House at his invitation as part of efforts of his government to consult all identifiable groups in the country on the way forward with regard to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The President first observed that the media has been for government, “an invaluable ally”. “An invaluable ally on two fronts,” the President said.

    Firstly, “in helping to get the information and education out there to the citizenry of our country about this new menace to the progress on the human race” and secondly and equally important “is your roles as the vehicle of accountability. I am a strong believer that in all circumstances, even in the conduct of war, governments and public officials should be held accountable for what they do and you are the vehicles for accountability in our society and that is how it should be” President Akufo-Addo posited.

    “One thing that is important though is that there should be accuracy in what you convey, that is critical. Different perspectives, different views, different conclusions, on certain facts are inevitable, it is but of the whole process of being human, we cannot all have the sale head, God did not make it that way but we can agree on facts and as much as possible when it comes to public discourse, the truth, the accuracy of what is pervade is very critical, especially in an emergency of this nature where the slightest misinformation, slightest inaccuracy, misinterpretation can lead to a lot of grieve, and difficulty” President Akufo-Addo added.

    Chairman of the National Media Commission, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, addressing the President on behalf of the media delegation noted that the media fraternity is deeply in the debt of the President for his invitation extended to them to meet with him. He accepted the admonishing of the President to the media to ensure accurate reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

    “Our assurance to the government is that we will do whatever we need to do to support the government in making sure that the people of this country come out of this pandemic stronger they were before” the NMC Chairman, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh said.

     

    Source: Starr FM

  • Akufo-Addo’s ‘herd immunity strategy’ against pandemic dangerous – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has sought to question the logic in President Nana Akufo-Addo’s lifting of the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Kasoa and its environs.

    President Akufo-Addo, in his 7th address to the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, told Ghanaians that upon the indepth knowledge that his administration and Health Professionals have acquired about the behaviour and mutations of the virus as well as adequate data on the epidemic, it was prudent to lift the lockdown but however cautioned Ghanaians to adhere to all safety protocols to guard against the spread of the COVID-19.

    The President explained that “so far it has been established that the virus was imported into our midst from foreign shores, and is being spread through person to person contact. The majority of persons infected in Ghana have mild to no symptoms at all, whilst a very small number have required hospital treatment, out of which nine (9) persons, with underlying ailments, have died”.

    “…we are introducing rapid results testing to augment our surveillance and enhanced contact tracing efforts, so that we can quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases. From the sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) samples tested, we have been able to understand better the dynamism of the virus, map out its geographic footprint, and establish current and potential hotspots. We have also been able to isolate and educate asymptomatic carriers, and, thereby, help minimise the spread of the virus…lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place”, the President expounded.

    But according to Ex-President John Mahama, President Akufo-Addo seems to have jumped the gun in adopting a strategy called ”herd immunity” to fight the pandemic.

    Herd immunity is the idea that if the coronavirus keeps spreading, more people will be infected and eventually somehow the infected persons will become immune leading to the end of the pandemic as the virus finds it difficult to find a susceptible host.

    This strategy was suggested by Chief Science Adviser to the UK government, Patrick Vallance who believed the UK needed to “build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission”, and as a result the pandemic will fizzle out on its own.

    Addressing the nation via a digital conversation on Thursday, April 23, 2020, Ex-President Mahama opined that the President might be putting many lives at risk by his decision-making.

    ”One gets the sense that perhaps because of the current low mortality and the cases we have confirmed, the President might be seeking to rely on what is called herd immunity as a strategy to fight COVID-19 but I dare say this is dangerous. We must remember that there are reports of re-infection occuring in some cases elsewhere and also prolonged immunity to the virus has not yet been proven at this stage”, he stressed.

    He called for better interventions to be made by the Akufo-Addo administration in fighting the pandemic because ”the burden of the coronavirus disease could potentially be very heavy. COVID-19 has overwhelmed the health systems of most advanced countries and can do the same in Ghana. The toll on our healthcare workers could be devastating. You can buy ventilators and other medical items on the market but you cannot go to the market and buy skilled doctors and nurses, and other medical staff”.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Why my love for Akufo-Addo has increased Bibi Bright

    Just as many people are praising President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his effective ways in fighting the deadly Coronavirus, Ghanaian actress Bibi Bright says the love she has for Nana Addo has increased to a 100 per cent.

    “It takes a bold President to take the decisions he has taken in fighting this deadly virus. To pay water bills for every Ghanaian for three months is no joke. Just look at the drastic measures he took in fighting the virus.

    “Giving soft loans to businesses and making sure everyone is comfortable is just overwhelming. Everyone is praising him because he is a good President and cares about his people,” she told Graphic Showbiz recently.

    According to Bibi Bright, she is not praising the President because she is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but truth be told, Nana Addo has proven that he is the best President and will do anything to protect his people.

    To Bibi Bright, who believes Nana Addo will win again when we go for elections this year, the things the President has done during his four-year tenure are enough for everyone to know that he is the best President.

    “If we have Nigerians and other African countries praising Nana Addo for his good efforts to take this country to the next level, then it means he is doing something right and it is about time we all rallied behind him and gave him the support he needs to rule this country,” she said.

    According to Bibi Bright, although we are in trying times and she wished everything would come back to normal so that we could all live our normal lives, it was better we obeyed the directives from the President.

    “He said we should stay home while the authorities fight this pandemic and I will plead with Ghanaians to obey that. We are all trying to fight this virus and stand together again because it is not easy to stay home, lose money by not attending to your businesses and other engagements,” she stated.

    On how she is coping with the lockdown, Bibi Bright said it had become necessary for everyone to stay alive and be careful, especially those who had large families.

    “I have four children and a husband. Can you imagine if anyone of us contracts the deadly virus? The best thing is to stay home and obey what the government says,” she said.

    Bibi Bright and her team recently reached out to the needy and provided food for them. She explained that that was her way of helping the needy. She thanked everyone, including the police, who was there to support.

    Talking about movies, Bibi said she had featured in some movies and was producing other movies but she had had to put all on hold and she was hopeful that everything would be calm for her to continue.

    “This is not the best time to shoot movies or engage in other works related to acting. Everyone is trying his or her best to stay alive and when everything normalises, we will bounce back. For now everything is on hold,” she said.

    Source: adomonline.com

  • You have what it takes to confront COVID-19 pandemic Akufo-Addo to Okoe Boye

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has asked Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye to bring his competence and capabilities to bear as the government fights to contain the novel Coronavirus disease in Ghana.

    Nana Akufo-Addo said the appointment of the Ledzokuku MP has come at a time when his services is most needed.

    The President was speaking after he swore in Dr. Okoe Boye at the Jubilee House on Monday.

    “You know very well what is going on. The pandemic that has changed so many things in the lives of our people and the governance of our state so you come at a very challenging and difficult time but myself and all of those who know you are very confident that you have what it takes to confront this challenge and add your talent and energy to the work of government.”

    President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated Bernard Okoe Boye as a Deputy Minister of Health-designate on April 6, 2020.

    The Deputy Minister-designate was vetted on Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

    During his vetting, he said as a Deputy Minister, he will work with his superiors to ensure the harmonization of energies and competencies to defeat the pandemic.

    Profile of Dr Bernard Okoe Boye

    Prior to his nomination, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye was the Board Chairman of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

    He is a Member of Parliament for the Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.

    Dr Okoe Boye is a licensed medical practitioner who holds BSC in Human Biology, Medicine and Surgery from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

    He also holds a Masters Degree in Public Health (MPH) from Hamburg School of Applied Science and an A1 certificate in German from the Geothe Institute, Accra.

    Dr Okoe Boye had his house job at the Ghana Health Service from 2009 to 2012. He then continued as a Medical Officer in the same Institution for four years.

    Currently, he is a Physician at Lekma Hospital, a government health facility located at Teshie.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Avoid false sense of security coronavirus not under control in Ghana NDC team

    The NDC technical team on COVID-19 has urged Ghanaians to avoid a false sense of security following the decision by President Akufo-Addo to lift the coronavirus lockdown on Accra and Kumasi.

    According to the team, the virus is not under control in the country and therefore removing restrictions is dangerous.

    “If government has data outside what has been presented publicly that has informed this decision, we request public disclosure in order that we can continue to support a non-partisan push to win the day.

    “Until that information is available, we encourage Ghanaians to avoid a false sense of security and continue to stay at home as much as possible, avoid non-essential movement and respect all health protocols outlined from the onset. We remain committed as technical experts to our primary goal to share information that protects the right of every Ghanaian to prepare, fight and defeat this virus,” the team said in a statement.

    The statement also warned the situation could get out of hands with the lifting of the restrictions.

    “Members of this Technical Team are acutely aware of the vulnerability of the economic circumstances of a vast majority of Ghanaians who have struggled with daily food supplies in this period. Indeed, many team members have been directly involved in daily interventions where government interventions have unfortunately been woefully lacking.”

    “We are confident that the options we proposed in our community impact mitigation strategies should apply in favour of protecting the lives of all Ghanaians from further risk of infection and potential morbidity. In addition, every country that has been touched by this virus has suffered significant economic difficulty.

    “The true test of the fiscal resilience for every country has been in the quality of the planning and preparation as well as the seriousness with which the pandemic has been managed. We propose that in Ghana, if we are to turn the tide, far more organized and strategic work is urgently required to cushion our citizens from the multiple negative economic implications of COVID-19. Our position is that the virus is not yet under adequate control in Ghana to merit any ease of restrictions on movement at this time.”

    “We are mindful of the fact that a backlog of tests from samples of about 10,000 took us from 600+ cases to 1000+ cases. With over 18,000+ samples yet to be tested, there is a higher probability that our cases may surge as we are yet to get to our peak. We believe these backlog samples are from primary or secondary contacts who have in turn made several contacts in the chain of human interactions and whose test results are yet to be ascertained.”

    “Looking at the return to activities defying the basic social distancing protocols as recommended, we put ourselves in a very precarious situation for a potential second wave of infections,” the statement added.

    Source: starrfm.com.gh

  • Akufo-Addo chose politics over science Ablakwa bemoans

    Former Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says it obvious that the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo chose politics over science.

    The President on Sunday April 19, 2020 announced the lifting of the ban which comes into effect on Monday April 20, 2020 at about 1am revoking the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra Region, Greater Kumasi and Tema.

     

    This decision was reached after government put in place measures such as having one testing facility in each region, enhanced contact tracing, the production of PPEs locally, the date available to government and the severe effect of the partial lockdown on economic activities.

    Akufo-Addo

    He mentioned that lifting the restriction does not mean the country is letting her guard down adding that all other measures announced earlier still holds.

    But reacting to the move by the government, Okudzeto Ablakwah who is a leading member of the National Democratic Congress says the President chose his parochial interest over the national interest.

    He said “Many experts are emphatic that our President chose politics over science. May God save us”.

    Ghana has now recorded 1,042 positive cases after an enhanced contact tracing.

     

    Source: thenewsgod

  • Allowing movement of persons doesn’t mean we’re letting our guard down Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said lifting the three-week restriction on movement in some parts of the country imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus does not mean the government is letting down its guard in the fight against the virus.

    According to the President, apart from the free movement of persons all other measures are still in force to control the spread of the disease.

    Addressing the nation in a televised address on Sunday, 19 April 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “I must make it clear, at the outset, that lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place. For the avoidance of doubt, the earlier measures announced on Wednesday, 15th March, which have been extended, are still very much in force, and have not been relaxed. I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures.

    “In here, I am referring to the suspension of all public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, parties, nightclubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events. All educational facilities, private and public, are to remain closed. Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, observing staff management and workplace protocols with the view to achieving social distancing and hygiene protocols.

    “Operators of public transport, including our buses, trotros and taxis, are to continue to run with a minimum number of passengers, as they have been doing for the last three weeks in maintaining social distancing. They must also continue to ensure the maintenance of enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands. Domestic airlines are required to adhere to the same protocols.”

    Nana Akufo-Addo added that “the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, together with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, will continue to implement measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country, and expand the policy of alternate-days-for-alternative-products to improve social distancing in all markets.”

    Explaining why he lifted the ban on movement of persons, the President said the country now has the ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, the enhancement of our capacity to test, the expansion in the numbers of our treatment and isolation centres, the better understanding of the dynamism of the virus, the ramping up of domestic capacity to produce our own personal protective equipment, sanitisers and medicines, the modest successes chalked at containing the spread of the virus in Accra and Kumasi, and the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Calling off lockdown doesnt mean we are out of the pandemic Akufo-Addo

    Lifting the lockdown in Accra and other parts of the country does not mean Ghana is free from the Covid-19 pandemic, President Nana Akufo-Addo says.

    Speaking in a televised address on Sunday, Akufo-Addo said Ghanaians must continue to abide by all other measures put in place to contain and defeat the novel coronavirus.

    Ban on public gatherings, including religious activities, parties, beaches, clubs are still in force across the country, the president said.

    Schools and universities also remain closed.

    Delivering his 7th address on measures taken by his administration to fight the disease, Akufo-Addo said “We will continue to monitor closely events in some hotspots…”

    “Whenever the situation so warrants, a community in which the virus is identified as becoming prevalent will be locked-down, until there is a clear understanding of the trajectory of the virus that will allow us to contain it,” he said.

    Relaxing lockdown welcoming

    The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council has, meanwhile, described lifting of three week lockdown as a welcoming.

    The GPCC, in a statement, said easing the restrictions is “quite encouraging especially for many Ghanaians who are in the informal sector of the economy.”

    “The Council is however appealing to all Ghanaians not to take this relaxation of the lockdown for granted but should to continue to observe strictly the measures rolled out by government to minimise or stop the spread of the virus,” GPCC said.

    Social media reactions to the move, however, suggest the decision is unpopular.

    Scores of persons posted on various social media platforms suggesting that the government is leaving the fight to the discretion of citizens.

      

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • Stop appointing judges to preside over political vendetta cases Chris Ackumey to Akufo-Addo

    A member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team, Chris Ackumey, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to desist from appointing High Court judges to preside on what he terms as “political vendetta” cases.

    According to him, appointing of Court of Appeal Judges to preside over political cases is a deliberate attempt to jail some leading members of the opposition party claiming that some of the judges are members of the governing party.

    He, therefore, urged the leadership of the judicial service and the executive members not to compromise the integrity of the judicial service as they “uphold professionalism for the benefit of the generation yet unborn.”

    In a statement, the legal team said: “we pause to ask if in the random allocation of the cases to the courts, these additional high court judges from the appeal court are also factored in or if these are appointments made for a specific target.”

    “Fact is the appointment of these additional high court judges does not do away with the perceived bias against these “politically exposed” accused persons, especially so when we have leading members of the party in government threatening to jail some leading members of the opposition party even before the 2020 elections.”

    It added, “We call for the immediate halt of these additional high court judges being appointed to preside upon these seemingly “political vendetta” cases. we remind the leadership of the judiciary of the admonition of Justice Enp Sowah where he charges the leadership and indeed the whole judge fraternity to keep or help keep the flag of the judiciary flying high and ensure that the profession as a whole provides leadership and the best counsel on these professional matters which we have all held in trust for the benefit of generations yet unborn.”

    Below is the full statement

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • President Akufo-Addo not interested in saving Ghanaian lives Asiedu Nketia alleges

    General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has insisted that the priority of the Akufo-Addo-led government in this COVID19 crisis is not to fight and defeat the pandemic but rather to win elections in order to retain power.

    According to Asiedu Nketia, in this critical time, President Akufo-Addo and his government are “majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors” as all their plans and actions are evidence to this effect.

    Citing a case in point to justify his argument, the NDC General Secretary argued that the recent comment by Lawyer Sam Okudzeto, a member of the Council of State vindicates his claim that winning elections is the major priority of the Akufo-Addo-led government.

    Sam Okudzeto in a recent interview advised the Electoral Commission to commence its planned voter registration exercise in areas in the country outside the partial lockdown directive since the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana is not that severe.

    Commenting on the statement on Accra-based Okay FM on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 however, Johnson Asiedu Nketia emphasized that the comment from the former President of the Ghana Bar Association is clear evidence of a sinister plan by President Akufo-Addo to take advantage of the pandemic and win elections.

    “The evidence to what I have been saying is what he [Sam Okudzeto] is saying. You are people that the nation has elected to advise the president on how the issues of this pandemic can be solved.  Whether nurses are dying, he seems not to care as a council of state member to suggest ways to fight the pandemic. However, the council of state members opens his mouth and it is about elections and how they can retain power,” Asiedu Nketia expressed.

    He continued, “So if somebody does not agree with me on what I have been saying, is this not the evidence? The prime of the objective of the government is how they can retain power and not about the lives of people. With this mindset, all that they are doing are things to take advantage and win elections and retain power and that is where they are wrong.”

    Source: ABCNewsgh.com

  • Akufo-Addos promise of constant flow of water a complete failure Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama says although the government has announced that it will absorb water bills for three months, taps, on the contrary, remain shut as there is no water flowing through them as expected.

    President Akufo-Addo in his fifth update on measures put in place to fight COVID-19 said: “Ghana Water Company Limited and the Electricity Company Limited of Ghana has been directed to provide a constant supply of water and power during this period. In addition, there will be no disconnection of power.”

    “Furthermore the government will absorb water bills of Ghanaians for the next three months i.e. April, May, June.”

    But speaking at a short event to donate some food items for some 20,000 households across the country, the former President mentioned that although a promise of constant flow of water has been made, the promise seems not to have been fulfilled.

    He noted that the taps are not flowing and therefore will an impediment to the frequent hand-washing in order to get rid of the virus.

    “Even though water tariffs have been absorbed for the next three months, there have been loud complaints of interruptions in the supply of treated water through pipes and/or water tankers,” he said

    The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) used the opportunity to urge the government to redouble its efforts in this sector in order to give meaning to the campaign for regular handwashing with soap under running water.”

     

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • A Plus fires Presidential Staffer, accuses him of selling secrets to the media and opposition

    Musician and Political activist Kwame Asare Obeng, known as Kwame A Plus, has heavily descended on Nana Hesse Ogyiri, a presidential staffer at the Office of the president.

    In response to a post put up by the presidential staffer through his Facebook page, Kwame A Plus revealed how the presidential staffer snitched on another colleague, Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe to him some time ago as being the one who leaked a conversation between him (A Plus) and the former CID Boss Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Dankwa, a situation which generated wide controversy at the time.

    “Continue fooling. You Sellout by the time i finish with you  everybody at the Presidency will know that you are the one who leak information from the Presidency to the NDC and the Media.

    source: adwoaadubianews.com

  • “Incompetent” is too romantic to describe Akufo-Addo with

    For one to have thought Nana Addo could do nothing to prevent COVID-19 from getting into Ghana is very mindboggling. COVID-19 isn’t mandated to be in every country but for the carelessness and indecision of our president. As I write, there are countries that have not recorded positive cases yet, with others only recording imported cases.

    Citizens in such countries wake up and continue with their usual routine without a lockdown, no military brutalities, no fear and panic, no adverse social economic effects on their economy, no sugarcoated words from their President and Ghana could have been one but Nana Addo whom incompetence is too romantic to describe failed to shield us.

    He allowed us to be strike by the spear and suddenly appear to nurse our wounds. It even appeared as Government was the one propagating ignorance that the disease cannot affect the black race because, from all indications, nothing was done to prevent the disease. Is only after the enemy has strike that Nana Addo is portraying to have our interest at heart.

    Clear evidence is when the government is going back to records to trace those who entered the country before March 13th, what if a positive COVID-19 patient entered Ghana and attended the independence day on the 6th March, how do we do the contact tracing. One may have contracted the disease it and send to his village, it is for this reason why all health officials must benefit from the 50% basic salary allowance because health workers in the village are also at risk of contracting the disease in the course of their work. The definition of front line workers on my mind.

    In times like this we look out for leaders who are proactive, competent and visionary not a situation where we need funds to urgently fight a course and you pledge 3months salary which can only be deducted at the end of the month. Is it an indirect way to secure your May and June salary if say COVID-19 ends in April?

    Is upon this conviction that Grandpa says he is also growing his Cocoa and will later harvest it to raise funds to help fight Coronavirus.

    We are dying and Nana Addo is promising money he has not worked for in the future.

    Up till now, government is only depending on donated PPE’s and haven’t been able to procure some.

    There is a saying in twi that goes “s3 )kwan no anka wo dan aaa wose contractor no y3 good” If your business is collapsing, if you are locked down without basic necessities, if you were the one killed in Ashaiman or you have been directly affected by COVID-19, which was occasioned by Nana Addo’s negligence and you are at the point of death, you would realize that no amount of crafted words, no intervention, no tax waiver, no allowance or any freebie is so important. We are suffering from COVID-19 because of the recklessness, lack of productiveness and insensitivity by our President hence incompetent is too romantic to describe him.

    I would like cease this opportunity to thank all those helping in diverse ways to combat COVID-19 and also thank John Mahana for establishing the stabilization fund (which the government is relying on now) securing the Onuado van and Ayalolo buses which is playing a crucial role in the fight against COVID-19 and establishing the Contingency fund which NPP has depleted the account not for it purpose and also call on the government to scrap 100% electricity bills for every Ghanaian because if not for his negligence, we would have been well off. What he has given is a chicken feed and even Togo government has done better by scrapping all electricity bills.

    Happy good Friday and STAY AT HOME

    Because we only look up to God for survival, let with this government alone which incompetent is too romantic to describe, we would all die.

    Source: Shadrach Appiah

    (more…)

  • Use free water and electricity wisely Akufo-Addo begs Ghanaians

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the vulnerable in society to use electricity wisely.

    He made this statement in his sixth Coronavirus broadcast on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

    In the recorded broadcast, the president announced that those who will enjoy free electricity and water, as well as other consumers who fall outside of this category, who will also enjoy a 50 per cent reduction in the cost of electricity for the next three months should judiciously use the utilities provided.

    In his address, he said: “We have decided further measures of mitigation for Ghanaians for the next three months…Government will fully absorb electricity bills for the poorest of the poor, i.e.: lifeline consumers. This will cover persons who consume 0 to 50-kilowatt hours per month for this period. This forms part of relief interventions by the state amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Other categories of consumers will enjoy a 50 percent discount within the same period. For all other consumers, residential and commercial, the government will absorb 50 percent of your electricity bill for this period using your March 2020 bill as the benchmark.”


    “Nevertheless, I urge all Ghanaians to exercise discipline in the use of water and electricity,” he stressed.

    President Akufo-Addo in his previous address to the nation announced that the government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, that is, April, May and June.

    Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged all water tankers operators, both public and private, to mobilize and ensure that there is constant water supply to all vulnerable communities.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • President Akufo-Addo shows his timely election was orchestrated by God – NPP Germany

    In these trying times, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has demonstrated a strong sense of fatherhood and deep reasoning with the people of Ghana in our fight against the deadly covid19 pandemic.

    The President of the republic has taken very strong and bold decisions in recent times which has been described as abnormal times. The imposition of restrictions has come to the people of the world as hard times where the poor, disabled and the vulnerable in society gives extra responsibility on the government. The security agencies and essential service providers especially healthcare personnel need extra care and attention in order to give the country the best of their services. In general, the restrictions have barred many from attending to their daily course and has as such put pressure on households who feed through informal jobs.

    We will recall that the President mentioned that there cannot be a one size fit all approach to solving this problem. This called for robust decisions to be made and also for the government to carefully study what the citizens may need as cushioning in order to cooperate in these hard times.

    The President on the occasion of his 5th address to the Nation on the Pandemic announced various relief packages to the citizens, these include packages to support small and medium Enterprises, loan deferment for individuals as well as support for various inventions to help save the country from the pandemic.

    Technologies which aid in handwashing which has been invented by Ghanaians has received support from government in order to encourage mass production. Companies are being supported to produce masks and sanitizers in large quantities so as to ensure there are enough PPEs for health personnel and individuals at risk.

    Below are the lists of packages and reliefs designed by government in fighting against the pandemic.

     

    •Free water supply to the entire Nation for the next three months

    •No tax on the salaries of health workers for the next three months.

    •50% increment in the salary of health workers

    •Supporting companies to mass-produce protective equipment.

    •Insurance for all frontline health workers with assured package of GHC 350,000.

    •350,000 face masks.

    •558,650 examination gloves.

    •1000 reusable googles.

    •20,000 cover-alls.

    •7000 N-95 respirators.

    •500 waterproof gumboots.

    •2000 reusable face shields.

    •2000 gallons of hand sanitizers.

    •10,000 100ml pieces of hand sanitizers.

    These items have been procured for the interim.

     

    The good news is the support for households. This support comprises of no electricity and water disconnections, free water for 3 months, food for over 400,000 persons in slummy, disabled and homeless areas.

    The President is really working to make our land great again and needs support from all Ghanaians. Let’s stay home and stay safe. Remember whenever you move, the virus moves. Let’s stay alive to witness the second term of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    LONG LIVE GHANA

    …Signed…

    Nana Boateng

    NPP Germany Branch Communications Director.

     

    Source: Nana Boateng

  • COVID-19: Your safety is government’s top priority Akufo-Addo to Health Workers

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured all health workers in the country that his administration has as its frontline agenda, the safety of all health care practitioners in the country.

    The President gave the assurance to health workers when he met them at the Jubilee House today the 8th of April 2020, as part of his government’s broad consultations will all major players in the health sector of the nation amidst the country’s fight against the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19.

    “Some of the things you have heard me say, the special arrangements that are being made for health workers, all of it is within the objective of ensuring that you feel reasonably protected, reasonably secured to be able to go out and give off your best,” President Akufo-Addo said.

    “It would be excellent if all the demands or wishes that you have could all be met. It won’t be, but we will do our best to meet the essential ones and that is what we are trying to do,” President Akufo-Addo added.

    Participation

    Amongst the various associations under the broad spectrum of health workers of Ghana who participated in the meeting were the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Pharmaceuticals Society of Ghana, Allied Health Professionals, Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetics and the Ghana Physician Assistants Association. Their leaders where given the opportunity to address the gathering to articulate their interests and concerns to the President.

    Confusion over Frontline Workers

     

    Madam Pepetual Ofori-Ampofo, President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, in her addresed indicated that nurses and midwives are demotivated and feel unappreciated by government following the many explanations given to the President’s statement on allowances for frontline health care workers. It was her contention that every nurse, midwife, physician assistant and nurse anesthetist everywhere is exposed to Covid-19 and they should all enjoy government’s incentive package on allowance. All other representatives and leaders of the other organized group also suggested same.

    President Akufo-Addo in a response to the concerns of the health care workers noted that it is obvious that the issue of who a frontline worker ought to be must be clearly defined in order to streamline and name the actual beneficiaries of government’s tax waivers for health that he announced on the 5th of April 2020. He assured the health workers that the issue will be resolved.

    PPE

    The availability of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) was the other major concern to all the health workers who were present at the meeting. They urged government to make good its promise to ensure the supply of PPEs to all health workers. On that score, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the shortfall while indicating that the local production of PPEs will bridge the shortages that exist in certain places in the country.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Akufo-Addo appoints Bernard Oko-Boye to Health Ministry

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has nominated a medical doctor and NPP MP,Oko Boye, as a deputy minister for Health.

    The nomination comes after the MP received several plaudits for his communications skills.

    The NPP MP, a debutant in Parliament, has been enjoying growing popularity for his independent-mindedness on topical national issues.

    His elevation comes as the president also fired a deputy minister for communications, Vincent Sowah Odotei.

    Source: theghanareport.com

  • Coronavirus: Akufo-Addo is thinking outside the box – NDCs Dela Coffie

    Member and Activist of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Dela Coffie, has once again showered commendations on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over measures taken to combat Coronavirus.

    President Akufo-Addo in his fifth national address to the nation on COVID-19 announced new measures covering incentives for health workers and Ghanaians as the country battles the coronavirus.

    “Government has decided that all health workers will not pay taxes on their emoluments for the next three months, i.e. April, May and June,” the President said.

    He added that “all frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of fifty per cent (50%) of their basic salary per month, i.e April, May, and June. The March allowance will be paid alongside that of April.”

    In a Facebook post seen by MyNewsGh.com, Dela Coffie who is a fierce critic of former President John Dramani Mahama praised President Akufo-Addo for “thinking outside the box in these unusual times.”

    He wrote “Folks, if you ignore the noise and pay attention to basic details, President Akufo-Addo is turning out to be one of the best Presidents in recent history. His social mitigating measures for the COVID-19 crisis announced a while ago is far-reaching and very impressive.”

    Other measures announced by the President included government making available GH¢600 million soft loan scheme with 1-year moratorium period and 2-year repayment plan for micro, small & medium scale businesses, absorption of 3 months of water bill and suspension of disconnection of water and electricity for the period.

     

     

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Afia Schwarzenegger opens tap and wastes water as she eulogizes Akufo-Addo – Watch video

    Controversial Ghanaian actress, Afia Schwarzenegger has sung praises on President Akufo-Addo following his recent briefing amid the lockdown.

    President Akufo-Addo has given Ghanaians relief as he has announced that Ghanaians will not be charged for water in the next three months with persistent flow and no powercut.

    Reacting to that, Afia Schwar has taken to social media to thank the President and heaped praises on him.

    Interestingly, the actress is seen wasting water — in a video, Afia Schwar opened her tap, intending to wash her hand but was being wasteful for not closing the tap even when she had taken her hands off.

    Meanwhile, she has also begged the President to make light free for Ghanaians for the next three months as they are home and not working currently.

    Watch the video below;

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    We Need Free Lights too … Tag the president. Skin goals @reggy_truevine_health_n_beauti

    A post shared by 👑Queen Afia Schwarzenegger👑 (@queenafiaschwarzenegger) on

    Source: GhanaCelebrities.Com

  • Stop sharing fake videos to defame security agencies – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to desist from sharing fake videos of brutality in connection with the two-weeks lockdown.

    According to him, videos and photos showing soldiers beating up civilians are false and frivolous.

    The president in a national broadcast on Sunday [April 5, 2020] said the decision of the government on the matter will be driven by science and available data.

    “ I have been assured by the IGP that any security officer involved in brutality will be sanctioned.”

    President Akufo-Addo condemned the sharing of some of the videos and stated they were false.

    About 1,000 soldiers are patrolling the streets of Accra and Kumasi after the government imposed a two-week lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

    Source: kingdomfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Government feeding 400k homes in vulnerable communities in lockdown areas Akufo-Addo

    The government is feeding some 400,000 individuals and homes in vulnerable communities in Accra, Kasoa, Tema and Kumasi through the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP).

    This was disclosed by President Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation on Sunday, 5 April 2020.

    The areas under the programme are the affected areas the Government has locked-down and restricted movement to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    According to the President, the food distribution begun in Accra on Sunday and will begin in Kumasi on Monday, 6 April.

    The objective of this CAP, according to Nana Akufo-Addo “is to protect households and livelihoods, support micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, minimise job losses, and source additional funding for promotion of industries to shore up and expand industrial output for domestic consumption and exports.”

    “Through this Programme, the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Local Government and Rural Development, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), working with MMDCEs and the faith-based organisations, have begun to provide food for up to four hundred thousand (400,000) individuals and homes in the affected areas of the restrictions. This begun in Accra today, and will begin in Kumasi tomorrow,” he added.

    The food will come in the form of dry food packages and hot meals.

    Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that he will determine whether or not to extend the duration of the two-week restriction on movement, and the implementation or otherwise of any more enhanced measures to deal with the virus after the test results of some 15,384 people reached through contact tracing are released next week.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Youre our heroes, heroines; thanks for your sacrifice Akufo-Addo to health workers

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has thanked all health workers and frontline staff helping to fight the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana, which has, so far killed five people out of the two hundred and fourteen infected persons in the country.

    In his fifth address to the nation since the disease entered Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said on Sunday that: “Let me thank, in particular, all our frontline actors who continue to put their lives on the line to help ensure that we defeat the virus”.

    “To our healthcare workers, I say a big ‘ayekoo’ for the continued sacrifices you are making in caring for those infected with the virus, and in caring for the sick in general.

    “You are the heroes and heroines of our generation, and the government will do all in its power to provide you with the relevant tools to do your work effectively”, he noted.

    “To the men and women of our security services, who have been enforcing the directives, by patrolling our streets day and night, conducting surveillance, snap checks and mounting roadblocks, we are deeply in your debt.

    “It is these security measures that have created the basic framework within which our medical personnel are able to pursue contact tracing, testing and treatment of persons with the virus, whose implementation offers us the most secure means to defeat the virus”, the President said.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Security services have discharged their mandate with professionalism – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that the “police, military and other members of our security services have discharged their mandate with considerable professionalism” due to the two-weeks lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana.

    The first days of Ghana’s partial coronavirus lockdown have seen allegations of unnecessary brutality and violence by soldiers.

    Social media had been awash with videos of security forces brutalising civilians allegedly found to be flouting the lockdown directive.

    There is also a call by Ghanaians on the government for oversight and the protection of civil liberties.

    The Ghana Armed Forces have denied that its personnel was the ones captured in some videos circulating on social media.

    The Armed Forces in a statement said checks reveal that most of these videos are old incidents that are unrelated to the ongoing exercise.

    However, the President in his 5th address to the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic praised the security services for exhibiting professionalism in their duties.

    “Reports I have received so far indicate that the police, military and other members of our security services have discharged their mandate with considerable professionalism,” he said.

    He stated that originators of fake videos of alleged brutality by members of the security agencies will be tracked.

    He said, “In the very few instances where members of our security agencies have employed the use of excessive force against the citizenry, in enforcing the restrictions on movement, the Inspector General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces have taken steps to investigate such incidents, and, they have given me the assurance that those found culpable, will be duly sanctioned.”

    He noted: “I am extremely disturbed by the actions of a few, unpatriotic persons, who are deliberately passing off and circulating old videos of alleged brutality by members of the security agencies, largely of foreign origin, and presenting them as though they were new incidents by Ghanaian security personnel, which have occurred during the course of this past week. It is sad, it is unfortunate, and it must end.

    “We should all be in this fight together, and there is nothing to be gained with widespread fabrication and distribution of such videos, whose sole aim is to create discontent and undermine the trust of the population in the men and women of our security services. Who gains from such conduct? Nobody in their right senses! The law enforcement agencies are determined to locate the originators of these anti-social acts.”

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • COVID-19: Results of over 15,000 people to determine lockdown extension

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says government is awaiting the results of some 15,384 people who have been tested for the Coronavirus disease.

    He said the results would determine the next course of action by government.

    In a nationwide broadcast on Sunday evening, President Akufo-Addo said the results would determine whether or not there would be a need for extension of the two-week restriction on movement.

    “We are, thus, about to enter a critical phase of our fight in the coming week, as the Ghana Health Service is due to receive the results of some 15,384 out of 19,276 persons who have been reached through contact tracing. It is the results of these tests that will determine our future course of action,” he said.

    “So, in the course of the coming week, a determination will be made as to whether or not to extend the duration of the two-week restriction on movement, and the implementation or otherwise of any more enhanced measures to deal with the virus,” he added.

    He added that of the 1,030 travellers who were mandatorily quarantined and tested on their arrival in Ghana on the 21st and 22nd of March, 105 of them tested positive and had been isolated for treatment.

    He further stated that 804 of them had been released to join their families, while an additional 121 were in the process of being released and that

    “I want to thank all of them and their families and loved ones for their understanding and co-operation with the stringent procedures that government was forced to deploy in the public interest,” he said.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Akufo-Addo instructs Ofori-Atta, Asiamah to solve Aayalolo bottlenecks

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Transport to work together and find a solution to the “bottlenecks” at the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), the Minister of Information has disclosed.

    GAPTE, operators of bus rapid transit system Aayalolo, halted operations with the pretext that patronage has reduced due to the lockdown in Accra.

    The Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had indicated last Wednesday that transport companies including Aayalolo will continue to operate during the 14-day lockdown period to aid in the transport of essential workers.

    But on Thursday, GAPTE officially announced a temporary shutdown over the potential losses to be incurred during the lockdown period.

    At a media briefing on Friday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah disclosed that a cabinet meeting held on Thursday saw the president instruct Ken Ofori-Atta and Kwaku Ofori Asiamah to “quickly get together and resolve whatever bottlenecks there may be there for which reason Aayalolo suspended services [on Thursday]”.

    “Because especially at this critical time when you are asking people to [be] socially distant on transport, you must ensure that the state transport like Aayalolo is functioning.”

    He indicated that ‘trotros’ are essential in this period of lockdown and must be allowed to operate provided the social distancing rules are observed.

     

    Source: 3news.com

  • Ghanaian Times: Stay at home order will help reduce coronavirus spread in Ghana

    The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday, ordered Ghanaians in three cities and two townships to stay at home in a wide range of measures that are expected to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    The President who was seeking to enhance restrictive measures to combat COVID-19, made it clear that the order is aimed primarily to protect lives and contain the disease.

    Our focus today, however, is on the single most important announcement that people in the affected areas should stay at home.

    The President was clear when he explained that the order is also intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 across the country and minimise its impact on the socio-economic activities in Ghana.

    For us, this is a far reaching measure that in our view has the potential to significantly impact the lives of all Ghanaians in many ways. We are not in normal times and, therefore, anything that must be done to protect the citizenry must be supported by all.

    We know that staying at home for a prolonged period can be difficult, frustrating and lonely for some people but this decision is in the interest of everyone and we must make sacrifices to ensure that within these two weeks, we adhere to the order by staying at home.

    It is for this reason that we find it worrying that a large number of Ghanaians have misinterpreted the stay at home order to mean that they should go back to their home towns.

    Our checks at many lorry stations in Accra yesterday indicate that many people are rushing back home to beat the 14-day order to stay at home in the affected areas.

    This is unnecessary and a wrong approach in our collective effort to combat the virus.

    The rush to beat the deadline and get back to our hometowns may not be based on a sound judgement because that may become the vehicle that would rather spread the virus into other communities and affect the people in the villages. Who knows whether the new arrivals may unknowingly be carriers who may spread the virus?

    The best thing to do under the circumstances is to stay at home until after the 14-day order.

    Since the ultimate aim is to help control the spread of the virus to friends, family, the wider community and particularly the most vulnerable, it is important for all of us to obey the order.

    Staying at home for 14 days would greatly reduce the overall amount of infection from one person to the other in the community.

    We all owe it a duty to our country at this critical point, to come together and work towards slowing the spread and protect all those who are vulnerable and at high risk from contracting the disease, by staying at home.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Shatta Wale pens down a caring message to Akufo-Addo in this trying times as a president

    The Shatta Movement boss, Shatta Wale has taken time to pen down a very caring birthday message to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo.

    Shatta Wale in his birthday message asked the president not stress too much on this day but to take time and enjoy.

    As the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo is currently very busy trying to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic meaning he might be working extra, extra hard to keep his country safe.

    Shatta Wale very aware of this sent him this caring message that will definitely put a smile on his face after reading.

    See screenshot below;

    Source: ghbase.com

  • We’ll protect frontline workers against infections – President assures

    The Government will protect frontline workers in the case management of COVID-19, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.

    In an address on the enhance measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana, on late Friday, he said government had procured adequate Protection Personal Equipment and other relevant equipment and tools for the frontline workers.

    According to him, government had taken delivery of additional 17,000 coveralls, 350,000 masks, 17,000 googles, 2,400 non-contact thermometers, 350,000 gloves, 25,000 sanitizers, and 30,000 test kits, to assist healthcare personnel and those undertaking contact tracing and testing.

    The President said 100 pick-up vehicles and 2,500 tablets had been mobilized towards fighting the disease.

    To accelerate the contact tracing process, and ensure the curtail of the spread of the virus in the shortest time, some police and military personnel will be deployed to assist health authorities.

    The government would also pursue a policy of testing all contacts of people who had tested positive.

    It was, therefore, recruiting 1,000 volunteers to assist in the exercise.

    He appealed to the public to continue to observe the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols, saying, they were the crucial weapons of their defence against the virus.

    Giving an overview of the record of the respiratory disease, the President said 78 of the persons put under mandatory quarantine had since tested positive for the COVID-19.

    He said it was those additional confirmations had increased dramatically, the country’s total number of cases to 137 as at March 27, 2020.

    The President indicated that at his last broadcast six days ago, Ghana had recorded 21 confirmed cases of infections, with virtually all of them being imported.

    He recounted the measures that were taken afterwards which included the closure of all the country’s boarders and the order of mandatory quarantine and testing for all the 1,030 persons who arrived at the airport at the time of the announcement till the day the borders were closed, which had yielded such results.

    The President explainied that 97 per cent of all cases were imported.

    He said out of the remaining 59 confirmed cases, 53, were receiving treatment and were doing well, and that they would be discharged if their second test results proved negative.

    The President also said 14 of these persons were being managed from home in self-isolation, but unfortunately four others who had tested positive for the virus, were aged and had other serious underlying medical conditions, died, however, two persons had fully recovered.

    He said even though it may be said that the number of infections was still relatively low, “if we act now purposefully, we have a chance of preventing an escalation of our numbers”, he said.

    According to the President, the government intended to achieve five key objectives which sought to limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain it’s spread; provide care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of the domestic capability and deepen self-reliance.

    ” There is no one- size- fit-all approach to this pandemic. We have a unique situation in our country, and we must take it into account in dealing with the disease, while meeting all the six key WHO guidelines on the most effective ways of combating the pandemic, “he said.

     

    Source: GNA

  • President Akufo-Addo is Gods precious gift to Ghana – Bawumia

    The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has joined scores of Ghanaians to celebrate the 76th birthday of President Akufo-Addo on social media.

    Vice President Bawumia eulogised President Akufo-Addo for being a divine blessing to Ghana. “Life is so precious and we should never take it for granted.

    I wish my boss and the precious gift of our time, H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a happy 76th birthday” he extolled on his social media pages. Dr. Bawumia asserted President Akufo-Addo’s sterling leadership will ensure that Ghana will overcome the struggle against COVID-19.

    “In these difficult times of our nation, your steady and strong leadership will see us through.” he assured. He also wished the President of Ghana an elongated life with good health to continue driving the country to higher heights.

    “May Almighty God continue to endow you with more wisdom and knowledge to develop Ghana in good health and long life” he concluded.

     

     

  • Akufo-Addo affirms increase in Ghana’s cases of coronavirus

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday night, affirmed that 78 of the persons put under mandatory quarantine had since tested positive for the COVID-19.

    He said it was the additional confirmations that increased dramatically, the country’s total number of cases to 137 as of March 27, 2020.

    The President who was addressing the nation for the fourth time to give an update on measures taken against the spread of the COVID-19, indicated that at his last broadcast six days ago, Ghana recorded 21 confirmed cases of infections, with virtually all of them being imported.

    He recounted the measures that were taken afterwards, including the closure of all the country’s borders and the order of mandatory quarantine and testing for all the 1,030 persons who arrived at the airport at the time of the announcement till the day the borders were closed, which had yielded such results.

    The President explained that 97 per cent of all confirmed cases were travellers who brought the disease from outside the shores of Ghana, and indicated that of the remaining 59 confirmed cases, 53, were receiving treatment and were doing well, and they would be discharged should their second test results prove negative, he said.

    The President also said 14 of the persons were being managed from home in self-isolation, but unfortunately, four others who had tested positive for the virus, were aged and had other serious underlying medical conditions, lost their lives, but was thankful that two persons recovered.

    He said so far, Ghana had succeeded in halting any importations of the virus into the country, and thanked the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians for adhering to the good hygiene and social distancing protocols announced in his first national broadcast to the nation.

    He said even though it may be said that the number of infections was still relatively low, “if we act now purposefully, we have a chance of preventing an escalation of our numbers”, he said.

    The President, said all that the government was doing was intended to achieve five key objectives which sought to limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life, and inspire the expansion of the domestic capability and deepen self-reliance.

    He said although the prevailing circumstances meant that stricter measures had to be put in place to contain and halt the spread of the virus, the country could not afford to copy blindly and do all the things some other well-developed countries were doing.

    “There is no one- size- fit-all approach to this pandemic. We have a unique situation in our country, and we must take it into account in dealing with the disease while meeting all the six key WHO guidelines on the most effective ways of combating the pandemic.

    The President admitted that it was important to ensure adequate provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for the protection of all healthcare providers from getting infected.

    Government has taken delivery of additional 17,000 coveralls, 350,000 masks, 17,000 goggles, 2,400 non-contact thermometers, 350,000 gloves, 25,000 sanitizers, and 30,000 test kits, to assist healthcare personnel and those undertaking contact tracing and testing, he said.

    He said the government was also recruiting 1,000 volunteers to help in the endeavour, while 100 pick-up vehicles and 2,500 tablets were mobilized for the exercise.

    He said to accelerate the contact tracing process, and ensure the curtail of the spread of the virus in the shortest time, the assistance of the military and the police were sought to assist health authorities to expedite the process, adding that the government would also pursue a policy of testing all contacts of people who tested positive.

    He appealed to the public to continue to observe the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols, saying, they were the crucial weapons of their defence against the virus.

     

    Source: GNA