President Nana Akufo-Addo Locks Down Parts Of Ghana

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President Nana Akufo-Addo in a televised address to the Nation on Friday, March 2020 at 11 pm has locked down parts of Ghana in a measure to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

Many Ghanaians including the Ghana Medical Council made a call on the President to lock down the country in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus and a possible escalation. According to the Ghana Medical Council, Ghana does not have a strong health system and enough health workers to contain an outbreak.

1030 persons who arrived at the airport at the time of the announcement were mandatorily quarantined. 78 people tested positive for the virus. Bringing the total number to 137. 97 are travelers who brought the deceased. 53 are receiving treatment and doing well and will be discharged if the second test proves negative. 14 are being managed at home in self-isolation. 4 with underlying serious conditions have lost their lives.

Measures taken by the government are seen by many as laudable and timely to give Ghana the opportunity to identify, quarantine, test, and treat patients in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Lockdown Areas

President Akufo-Addo by the powers vested in him as the President of the Republic of Ghana has declared a partial lockdown in Ghana under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012).

The areas under lockdown include Accra, Kumasi, Tema, and Obuasi.

The lockdown takes effect from 1 am on Monday, 30th March 2020 for two weeks and is subject under review.

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.

No one is supposed to go out. Everyone in these areas must stay at home for these two weeks. The purpose under which one can defy the restriction is only for a person to get essential items such as food, water, medicine, 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 aircraft 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.

All commercial vehicle stations shall observe appropriate hygiene protocols and social distancing. The Ministry of transport has engaged the Transport Operators and Union in this regard.

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has also engaged the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assembly and the leaders of the Market Association to make satisfactory arrangements by the operations of the market to ensure observance of social distancing and enhance hygienic protocols.

Individuals and institutions providing the following services are exempted from the restrictions:
-Members of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary;
-Production, distribution, and marketing of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medicine, paper, and plastic packages.
-Environmental and sanitation activities;
-Staff of VALCO
-Road and Railway construction workers;
-Mining workers;
-Fisherfolk;
-Members of the security agencies assigned lawful duties;
-The staff of electricity, water, telecommunications, e-commerce, and digital service providers; and
-Staff of the fuel station.

Other Points to Note:

A COVID fund has been set up and President Nana Addo donates his salary for the next three months (April, May, June) to the fund.

More isolation and treatment centers will be set up

A minimum of I billion cedis would be made available to support businesses especially SME.

To accelerate the contact tracing process, and ensure curtailing the spread of the virus in the shortest time, the military and police will assist health authorities to expedite the process.

Intensive public health education and community awareness on social distancing and hand washing will be carried out.

Renate Dzodozmenyo