In these awful times, governments all over the globe are being responsive towards their citizens. The Ghanaian Government is no exception and I must say deserves our praise for the relief packages among other responsibilities. Also, kudos to our first responders on the battlefield.
The Ghana Health Service reports 64.9% of positive cases in the nation to have no travel histories as of Friday, April 10, 2020 (20:27:06). Thus, the recent surges in positive cases can largely be attributed to contacts tracing.
Is the Ghana Health Service website worth trusting when it is rarely updated? A website that still reports obsolete data hours after the president addresses the people? The delay in updates leaves some of us thinking the data is being massaged. I believe there should be better ways of promoting calmness if that is the sole purpose of the delay in updates. Withholding information in this period is never a brilliant idea.
The virus moves when we move! This necessitates movement restrictions in countries all over the globe to contain the spread of COVID-19. Ghana is no exception but should the movement restrictions apply to international traffic and COVID-19 hotspots only?
New cases are being recorded in new regions but very little or no enforcement of precautionary measures are in these regions. Have we not learned enough from the first cases the country recorded?
Regarding the cases in the Eastern Region, I read directives by the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the municipality. This makes me ask the importance of the Regional, Municipal, and District Security Councils and Committees in this battle.
Do our regional ministers, and chief executives being the chairmen of these councils and committees know their roles in this battle? I hope our appointed leaders do not only realize their authority during or post-crisis. It is said that failure to plan is planning to fail. As security councils and committees, it is disappointing for them not to see the imminent threat and put in place measures to mitigate it. We do not need reactive measures but proactive measures to mitigate risks in fighting COVID-19.
The local government must support the fight in every little way. All assemblies have security councils and health directorates as well to help in this battle. I hope other regions and assemblies would learn and act now rather than wait to record cases before making use of the security forces at their disposal to enforce the basic directives like social (physical) distancing especially in our markets and fixing checkpoints to ensure public transports are not overloaded or loaded to full capacity. Where the local population outnumbers the security personnel available, reinforcement can be called for through the right channel.
The central government cannot fight COVID-19 alone. All administrative levels must participate fully.
Edmund E. Terkpernor,
April 10, 2020,
Cape Coast.
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