National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, says President Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi is premature and lacks scientific basis.
He went on to describe the decision as a politically motivated one and says the choice was political expediency over public safety.
In a statement, he said the decision “is clearly a politically motivated decision, calculated to allow the EC the space to undertake its entrenched and illogical determination to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 general elections and nothing more.”
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Sammy Gyamfi does not agree with the President to lift the lockdown at a time the nation is recording an increase in positive COVID-19 cases.
He also argued that countries with fewer cases are still under lockdown and it would have been prudent for Ghana the country with the highest cases in West Africa to continue the lockdown as a form of managing spread of the virus.
“Countries with far lower cases have not lifted or relaxed their lockdown restrictions. Yet, we who are currently the country with the highest COVID-19 cases in West Africa, have against expert advice, lifted our partial lockdown. Doesn’t this defy science and commonsense?”
There has been a divided opinion ever since the President lifted the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi.
Ghana’s case count as of April 19, 2020, stood at 1,042 with 9 deaths and 99 recoveries.
Below is the statement
LIFTING OF PARTIAL LOCKDOWN BY PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO; A CHOICE OF POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY OVER PUBLIC SAFTEY.
The lifting of the partial lockdown by President Akufo-Addo, at a time the country is witnessing astronomical increases in positive COVID-19 cases, particularly horizontal infections, is totally premature and lacks scientific basis.
It is clearly a politically-motivated decision, calculated to allow the EC the space to undertake its entrenched and illogical determination to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 general elections and nothing more.
Either than that, why will President Akufo-Addo impose a partial lockdown with the objective of halting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, at a time we had only recorded 137 cases across just four (4) regions of the country and with 5 deaths, but turn around to lift the partial lockdown, at a time our positive case count has galloped to 1,042, across ten (10) regions and with nine (9) deaths?
Countries with far lower cases have not lifted or relaxed their lockdown restrictions. Yet, we who are currently the country with the highest COVID-19 cases in West Africa, have against expert advice, lifted our partial lockdown. Doesn’t this defy science and commonsense?
President Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift the lockdown at this crucial time, is a reckless political gamble that portends great danger for this nation. Ghanaians must never forgive him if this unimaginable decision exacerbates our COVID-19 situation. The blame for any fatality that is occasioned by this reckless decision must lie squarely with the President.
What the President has essentially done, is to place political expediency ahead of Public safety. And what that shows, is that human lives don’t matter to President Akufo-Addo.
May God be our help.
SAMMY GYAMFI Esq.
