Archives March 2020

Fellow Ghanaians, good evening. I have come to your homes, once again, as promised, on the matter which continues to grip not only the attention of the nation, but also of the entire world – the Coronavirus pandemic.

At the time of my last broadcast, some six (6) days ago, Ghana had recorded twenty-one (21) confirmed cases of infections, with virtually all the cases being imported. I took the step to close all our borders, and I ordered a mandatory quarantine and testing of all the one thousand and thirty (1,030) persons who arrived at the airport at the time of the announcement till the day the borders were closed. Indeed, seventy-eight (78) of the persons put under quarantine have since tested positive for the virus. It is these additional confirmations that have increased dramatically our total number of cases to one hundred and thirty-seven (137). Indeed, 97% of all confirmed cases are travelers who brought the disease from outside our shores. Of the remaining fifty-nine (59) confirmed cases, fifty-three (53) are receiving treatment and are doing well, and they will be discharged should their second test results prove negative. Fourteen (14) of them are being managed at home in self-isolation. 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. Thankfully, two (2) persons have made full recoveries.  

Fellow Ghanaians, the oath of office I swore on 7th January, 2017 demands that I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of you, the Ghanaian people. It is my job to protect you, and I am determined to do just that.

As I have said before, all that Government is doing is intended to achieve five (5) key objectives – limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance. 

Thus far, we have succeeded in halting any more importations of the virus into our country, and I thank the overwhelming majority of you for adhering to the good hygiene and social distancing protocols announced in my first broadcast to you.

However, prevailing circumstances mean that stricter measures have to be put in place to contain and halt the spread of the virus within our country, especially in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi, which have been identified by the Ghana Health Service as the “hotspots” of the infections. In doing this, we cannot afford to copy blindly, and do all the things some other well-developed countries are doing. There is no one-size-fits-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, whilst meeting all the six (6) key WHO guidelines on the most effective ways of combating the pandemic. Even though it may be said that the number of our infections is still, relatively, low, if we act now purposefully, we have a chance of preventing an escalation of our numbers.

So, effective 1am on Monday, 30th March, some forty-eight hours from now, I have imposed, pursuant to the powers granted the President of the Republic, under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), restrictions on movement of persons in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA, which includes Awutu Senya East), and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and contiguous districts, for a period of two (2) weeks, subject to review. It will give us the opportunity to try to halt the spread of the virus, and scale-up effectively contact tracing of persons who have come into contact with infected persons, test them for the virus, and, if necessary, quarantine and isolate them for treatment, should they prove to have the virus.

In Greater Accra, the following areas will be affected:

1.         Accra Metropolis;

2.         Tema Metropolis;

3.         Tema West Municipality;

4.         Ledzokuku Municipality;

5.         Krowor Municipality;

6.         Adentan Municipality;

7.         Ashiaman Municipality;

8.         La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality;

9.         La-Dade-Kotopon Municipality;

10.      Okaikwei North Municipality;

11.      Ablekuma North Municipality;

12.      Ablekuma West Municipality;

13.      Ablekuma Central Municipality;

14.      Ayawaso East Municipality;

15.      Ayawaso North Municipality;

16.      Ayawaso West Municipality;

17.      Ayawaso Central Municipality

18.      Ga West Municipality;

19.      Ga North Municipality;

20.      Ga Central Municipality;

21.      Ga South Municipality;

22.      Ga East Municipality;

23.      Korle-Klottey Municipality;

24.      Weija/Gbawe Municipality;  

25.      Kpone Katamanso Municipality; and

26.      Awutu Senya East Municipality.

In the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and contiguous districts, the following areas are affected:

1.           Kumasi Metropolis;

2.           Asokwa Municipality;

3.           Suame Municipality;

4.           Old Tafo Municipality;

5.           Oforikrom Municipality;

6.           Asokore Mampong Municipality;

7.           Kwadaso Municipality;

8.           Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality;

9.           Kwabre East Municipality;

10.        Ejisu Municipality;

11.        Afigya-Kwabre South District;

12.        Bosomtwi District;

13.        Atwima Kwanwoma District; and

14.        Atwima Nwabiagya North District. 

This, in essence, means that everyone resident in these areas must stay at home for the next two weeks. However, if you must go out, it must only be to get essential items such as food, medicine, water, undertake banking transactions, or to use public toilet facilities. But, as much as possible, stay at home.

There shall be, during this period, no inter-city movement of vehicles and aircrafts for private or commercial purposes for the areas of the restrictive measures, except for vehicles and aircrafts providing essential services and those carrying cargo. Riders of motorbikes are not allowed to carry any additional person, and all intra-city passenger vehicles, such as trotros and taxis, must reduce the number of passengers in order to observe appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols. Additionally, all commercial vehicle stations shall observe appropriate hygiene protocols and social distancing. The Ministry of Transport has engaged the transport operators and unions in this regard. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has also engaged with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and the leaders of the market associations in the country to make satisfactory arrangements about the operation of the markets that ensure observance of social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols. In any event, only persons involved in the food value chain can operate in the markets during this period.

Individuals and institutions providing the following services shall be exempted from the restrictions:

i        Members of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary;

ii       production, distribution and marketing of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medicine, paper and plastic packages;

iii      environmental and sanitation activities;

iv      staff of VALCO;

v       road and railway construction workers;

vi      mining workers;

vii     fisherfolk;

viii     members of the security agencies assigned lawful duties;

ix      staff of electricity, water, telecommunications, e-commerce and digital service providers; and

x       staff of fuel stations.

Fellow Ghanaians, to accelerate the contact tracing process, and ensure we curtail the spread of the virus in the shortest time, we will use the military and police to assist health authorities to expediate the process. We will also pursue a policy of testing ALL CONTACTS of people tested positive.

The affected areas, and, indeed, all other regions have earmarked designated isolation and treatment centres for the management of suspected and confirmed cases, as well as the selection of facilities for mandatory quarantine is being carried out. An intensive public health education and community awareness on social distancing and hand washing will be carried out.

It is very important that we protect all healthcare providers with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)to make sure they do not contract the virus in the process of protecting our lives. Government has, therefore, taken delivery of additional PPEs and more are being procured. Distribution of seventeen thousand (17,000) coveralls, three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) masks, seventeen thousand (17,000) goggles, two thousand four hundred (2,400) non-contact thermometers, three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) gloves, twenty-five thousand (25,000) sanitsers, and thirty-thousand (30,000) tests kits are ongoing for healthcare personnel and those undertaking contact tracing and testing. We are recruiting one thousand (1,000) community health workers and an additional thousand (1,000) volunteers to help in this endeavour. One hundred pick-up vehicles and two thousand, five hundred (2,500) tablets have been mobilized for the exercise.    

Fellow Ghanaians, I am urging all of you to bear with these additional measures. They are being done in the interest of all of us. They are, hopefully, only for a short while. These additional measures, together with those earlier announced, are what will help us defeat the virus. And, we must be united in our determination and efforts to overcome this challenge. This, certainly, is not the time for politicking or the display of partisanship. The virus does not care which party you belong to, neither is it, as we have seen, a respecter of persons. The enemy is the virus, and not each other.

As I have stated in my earlier broadcasts, all the measures I have announced tonight will be subject to constant review.

Fellow Ghanaians, we are in this together, and Government will stand by you. We are aware that there will be discomfort and difficulties for all of us over the next couple of weeks. As a responsive Government, we will continue to implement bold measures to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus on businesses and households and ensure that job losses are minimized. The Minister for Finance has been directed by me to prepare, for approval by Parliament, a Coronavirus Alleviation Programme to address the disruption in economic activities, the hardship of our people, and to rescue and revitalize our industries. He will, then, immediately make available a minimum of one billion cedis (GH¢1 billion) to households and businesses, particularly small and medium scale enterprises. The commercial banks are, in addition, responding to the Bank of Ghana’s 1.5% decrease in the Policy Pate and 2% in reserve requirement with a three billion-cedi (GH¢3 billion) facility, to support industry especially in the pharmaceutical, hospitality, service and manufacturing sectors.

We are providing additional relief, such as extension of the tax filing date from April to June; a two percent (2%) reduction of interest rates by banks, effective 1st April, 2020; the granting by the banks of a six (6) month moratorium of principal repayments to entities in the airline and hospitality industries, i.e. hotels, restaurants, car rentals, food vendors, taxis, and uber operators. All other sector credit exposures will be reviewed on a case by case basis; mobile money users can send up to one hundred cedis (GH¢100) for free; and a one hundred percent (100%) to three hundred percent (300%) increase in the daily transaction limits for mobile money transactions

Let me also reiterate that the ban on public gatherings, religious or social, is still in force. Anyone, irrespective of status, religion or ethnicity, who is found to be flouting them will be dealt with fully in accordance with law. The security services have been clothed with the necessary power to enforce these measures, and I assure you that they will do so responsibly, but without fear or favour, ill-will or malice.

Fellow Ghanaians, with the Bank of Ghana predicting a worst-case GDP growth rate scenario of 2.5% for 2020, should the virus continue to linger for the rest of the year, the effects on our economy would be dire. However, as we have demonstrated over the course of the last three years, where we inherited an economy that was growing at 3.4% and transformed it into one which has grown by an average of 7% over the last three (3) years, I assure you that we know what to do to bring back our economy back to life. What we do not know how to do is to bring people back to life.

We will, therefore, protect people’s lives, then their livelihoods.

For the next two weeks, I urge all of you, especially residents in the affected areas of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, to be reminded, every day, that the frontline of the fight against Coronavirus is your front door. If you cross it, you and your family will likely be infected. So, please, stay at home. It is vitally important that each one of us, in all parts of the country, continues to observe the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols, for they are the weapons of our defence against the virus.

I am announcing tonight the establishment of a COVID-19 Fund, to be managed by an independent board of trustees, and chaired by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, to receive contributions and donations from the public to assist in the welfare of the needy and the vulnerable. I have directed the Controller and Accountant General to pay my next three months’ salary, i.e. April, May and June, into this Fund. Let me also thank, from the bottom of my heart, the churches, financial institutions and individuals who have already made donations to help in this fight. God richly bless them.   

We can defeat this virus if we all commit ourselves to respecting all the measures that have been outlined. I am confident that Ghanaians will comply with them, and the security services will not have to intervene, with extraordinary means, to enforce them. The love of country is deeply embedded in all of us, and I assure you that the security forces will conduct themselves with the necessary professionalism.

Meserɛ mo, nsɛm aa makayi, yɛn nyinaa yɛn mbɔ mɔden na yɛn disu. Nyankopɔn adaroma, ɛbɛ boa yɛn.

Minkpa nyɛ fai, saneɛ ni nwieɛ, nyɛ feɛ nyɛ bɔ mɔden ni nyɛ ye nɔ. Nyɔmo dromɔ, e baa wa wɔ feɛ.  

We have prayed to Almighty God to heal our land, and I know that, by the Grace of God, He has heard our cry. Nonetheless, each one of us must do his or her part.

May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.

I thank you for your attention. Good night.

Communications Bureau |Office of the President| 27 March 2020 |Accra

The Municipal Assembly made donations to the Municipal Health Directorate, the various Markets Centres, Ghana Road Transport Unions (GPRTU) and PROTOA Stations across the Municipality. This is to support the fight against the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Fellow Ghanaians,

I have come into your homes, again, this evening to provide an update, as I promised, on the measures taken by Government to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

You may recall that on Wednesday, 12th March, 2020, when I first spoke to you directly on this matter, I announced the first raft of enhanced measures taken in response to the pandemic. At the time, there had been no reported, confirmed case of the Coronavirus in Ghana.

Since then, six (6) confirmed cases have been announced, all of people who recently travelled into the country. Advisories on how to manage the developments have also been announced by the Ministries of Health and Information. Public education is being intensified to ensure that citizens are well advised on preventive measures.

Earlier today, Sunday, 15th March, 2020, I chaired a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus response. After deliberations, I have decided, in the interest of public safety and the protection of our population, to review the public gathering advisories earlier announced as follows:

1.   All public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, sporting events and religious activities, such as services in churches and mosques, have been suspended for the next four (4) weeks. Private burials are permitted, but with limited numbers, not exceeding twenty-five (25) in attendance;

2.   All Universities, Senior High Schools, and basic schools, i.e. public and private schools, will be closed Monday, 16th March, 2020, till further notice. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, has been tasked to roll out distance learning programmes. However, BECE and WASSCE candidates will be allowed to attend school to prepare for their examinations, but with prescribed social distancing protocols;

3.   The Government of Ghana’s Travel Advisory issued earlier today should be observed as announced;

4.   Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, but should observe prescribed social distancing between patrons and staff;

5.   Establishments, such as supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, night clubs, hotels and drinking spots, should observe enhanced hygiene procedures by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands;

6.   The Ministry of Transport should work with the transport unions and private and public transport operators to ensure enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands; and

7.   The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development should co-ordinate, with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country. 

Additionally, as the experts conduct contact tracing, I appeal to all to co-operate with them to ensure that persons who have come into contact with positive cases are identified and supported.

I have directed the Attorney General to submit, immediately, to Parliament emergency legislation, in accordance with Article 21 (4) (c) & (d) of the Constitution of the Republic, to embody these measures, and I have further directed the Minister for Health to exercise his powers, under section 169 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), by the immediate issuance of an Executive Instrument, to govern the relevant measures. I call upon Parliament to support the Executive in this national endeavour.

As I said earlier, there is every need to observe prescribed social distancing and good personal hygiene to prevent community spread. We are determined to do whatever we can to prevent the spread of the virus, and protect the population. All the measures that have been announced will be subject to constant review and enhancement, if necessary.

Fellow Ghanaians, these are not ordinary times, so, let us all put our shoulders to the wheel, and I am confident that, together, by the Grace of God, we shall overcome this challenge.

May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.

I thank you for your attention.

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has expressed his satisfaction with the measures Government has put in place to deal with the threat of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Wednesday, 4th March, 2020, when he paid visits to the Kotoka International Airport, the Tema General Hospital and the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.

Accompanied by the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the President’s first port of call was the arrivals terminal of the Kotoka International Airport.

It was revealed by the Health Minister that several stakeholder engagements with the Ghana Airport Company Limited, Ghana Immigration Services, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority, at all the country’s ports of entry, have been held place to strengthen Ghana’s COVID-19 preparedness and surveillance.

The Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Ltd, Mr. Yaw Kwakwa, told President Akufo-Addo that, on arrival at the airport, all passengers are screened using thermal scanning devices at the airport, and passengers are also required to fill a health declaration form.

Additionally, the GACL boss indicated that point of entry staff at the airport have been sensitised on case detection and infection prevention and control, together with the creation of a holding room at the airport which is to be utilised to hold suspected COVID-19 cases.

At the Tema General Hospital, one of the hospitals designated as a treatment /isolation centre for the COVID-19 disease, the Medical Director of hospital, Dr. Richard Anthony, told President Akufo-Addo that the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Hospital is “readily prepared for the COVID-19. We have an emergency response team made up of nurses, pharmacists, administrators on standby”.

The President was taken on a tour of the clean room encompassing a changing area for the nurses, as well as the main ward, which did not have any patients as at the time of the visit.

“We have not had any suspected or cases tested in Tema General,” he added.

At the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, another hospital designated as a treatment /isolation centre for the COVID-19 disease, President Akufo-Addo was told that the infectious diseases centre of the hospital “is a full unit, purposely-built and well-designed to hold and quarantine an infectious case.”

The President was made aware of the fact that the emergency response team at the hospital has been activated, with basic medical checks undertaken on every patient who visits the hospital.

“If there is any positive indication of the contraction of a disease, we keep you and we make arrangement for the patient to be transported to this centre. We conduct a test, which involves taking samples and sending it to Noguchi. To date, we have tested about seventeen people who fitted into the case definition. However, luckily, none of them tested positive,” the head of the Centre told President Akufo-Addo

In briefing the President, the Minister of Health stated that public health emergency management structures at all levels, i.e. national, regional, district have been activated and placed on high alert, in addition to the holding of National Technical Co-ordinating Committee meetings.

He added that emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated, alerts have been sent to all regions to activate Public Health Emergency Management Committees (PHEMCs) to initiate preparedness activities and enhance surveillance for respiratory diseases.

Thus far, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman Manu told President Akufo-Addo that forty (40) suspected corona virus cases have been reported and tested. All forty (40), he stressed have tested negative for COVID-19 from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR).

The Ahanta West Municipal Assembly observed the Independence Day with a Match Past Celebration at the Agona Nkwanta Stanford Bridge Park. The Event was very colorful and was well attended by the Pupils and the general public.