Deputy Information Minister Pius Hadzide says the government is not politicizing COVID-19 but rather setting the record straight.
He said Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s response to the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Mahama was to clear misinformation and set the records straight.
Many have criticised the Vice President ever since he said that President Akufo-Addo’s government has handled the COVID-19 crisis better than Mahama did with ‘Dumsor’.
Pius Hadzide responding to the criticism said many are beginning to appreciate the government’s response because they will not allow the oppsition to misinform Ghanaians.
“What we have noticed is that Mahama has made at least seven public pronouncements which if you monitor are only an attempt to politicize COVID-19. In his last address he said the economy was weak and went ahead and peddled falsehood, that statement is a clear attempt at politicizing the rather sensitive issue of COVID response. Government has not done politics with it, what we have done is to set the record straight and to remind Mahama that if we are talking about managing of crisis you have no moral rights because we saw your tenure. That is why today we made it clear at our press briefing that if we do not want politicization then the opposition must know that they should not tow that line. Dealing with misinformation, fake news is part of solving COVID-19, so we will take time to clear all the misinformation the opposition throw to Ghanaians,” he said on Joy FM.
Today Minister for Information advised Ghanaians to desist from politicizing COVID-19.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah believes this will affect the fight against the global pandemic and will only make us lose focus.
Dr Bawumia speaking after chairing a COVID-19 meeting on May 4, 2020 said: “Under the Presidency of Akufo-Addo we are experiencing the global pandemic which is COVID-19 , look at this coronavirus crisis how it is being handled and compare it to ‘Dumsor’ under Mahama. We have provided free water for three months, reduced electricity and provided a stimulus package of GHC 600m for businesses, provided Personal Protective Equipment to our workers so the difference is very clear”.
Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have now reached 2,719 according to the latest update released by the Ghana Health Service on May 4, 2020.
The total number of deaths is still 18 but recoveries have shot up to 294.
