Covid-19 decisions must not be guided by political, narrow-minded considerations – Mahama to Akufo-Addo

Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on government to refrain from what he describes as political or parochial considerations in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

This follows concerns over discrepancies in the data surrounding the Covid-19 tests conducted under the aggressive testing during the three-week lockdown.

President Akufo-Addo said the removal of the restrictions on movement was based on analysis of data and the science that backed the tests.

Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, on PM Express on April 21, revealed that, a model generated for the coronavirus infections in Ghana has projected that some 15,000 people may be killed by the raging virus.

Dr Asare explained that his projection was premised on a baseline projection that 10% of Ghanaians are likely to test positive for the virus before infections peak.

He subsequently, at the Information Ministry’s press conference on Wednesday, clarified that his projections were largely hypothetical.

“I said that is not the case in Africa. Based on the facts and data we have, we have realised that our actual figures are far below what the World Health Organisation (WHO) had quoted,” he said.

He also posited that Ghana’s 68,591 tested cases as of Tuesday included duplicate cases of testing.

This too has been clarified by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIR) which said, results reported by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), are from individual samples taken and do not include duplicated ones.

But speaking in a televised address on Thursday, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was not enthused by the credibility of the data so far.

According to him, numerous reservations by health experts about the information based on which the lockdown was lifted, raises red flags about the real motive behind the action.

“While it is the prerogative of the President to take decisions that ensure our protection, it is my hope that his decisions are guided by genuine concern for the health and safety of the people of Ghana and are also guided by science, not any political or parochial considerations,” he said.

His suspicion is also borne out of recent statements made by the General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party John Boadu about that the compilation of the new voters’ register would begin in May.

The exercise which was scheduled to commence on April 18, 2020 despite resistance from some political parties was suspended was suspended to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Mahama finds the party leader’s assertion as irresponsible and an affront to the healthcare of Ghanaians amid the pandemic.

“At a time when doubts remain about the scale of Covid-19 threat and when social distancing has become our main defense, this suggestion is deeply irresponsible,” the Former President added.

Source: Kenneth Awotwe Darko