The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has cautioned the Minority not to make politics out of issues relating to the deadly coronavirus, but rather come together to fight the disease.
This comes in response to calls by the Minority, pressuring the government to provide details about some US$100 million that President Akufo-Addo said had been allocated to help fight the novel virus.
While delivering an address to the nation on Wednesday, 11th March 2020, the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo said he has directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of US$100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.
This amount, according to President Akufo-Addo, “is to fund the expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education”.
On the back of this, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George demanded that the government provides details on the source of funding of the US$100 million dollars allocated as part of measures to fight the deadly coronavirus since he does not “trust the government when it comes to accountability of funds”.
The Minority Spokesperson on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, also asked the government to make the money available for the “real work to be done”.
But responding to these calls, the Information Minister on Eyewitness News noted that it will be better if the Minority desisted from politicising the issue.
“Let me caution that this is not a matter that should be turned into a regular political banter that the Minority says it’s not good, the government says it is good. This is a potential national crisis that we have to rally behind the flag and fight together,” he said.
He further said that the allocated amount of money was sourced from “a combination of government of Ghana consolidated fund and donor partner fund. That’s what has come together to make this about US$100 million envelope which has been earmarked for this battle. All funds are managed by the minister responsible for finance. They may be released to the Controller and Accountant General by warrant.”
Coronavirus in Ghana
At an emergency press briefing by the Information Ministry on Thursday night, March 12, 2020, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu announced that two cases of the novel coronavirus had been confirmed in Ghana.
The two cases according to the Health Minister, tested positive after laboratory tests from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.
The cases according to the Health Minister were reported as ‘imported cases’ as both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey.
Although the Minister did not disclose the identities of the two patients, Citi News sources say one is a Norwegian national, who’s a senior official at the Norwegian Embassy in Ghana, and the other a Turkish citizen.
Universities beef up protective measures
Universities across the country have begun taking steps to prevent members of their communities from contracting the deadly novel coronavirus.
At the University of Cape Coast (UCC), all international conferences to be hosted by the University have been suspended until further notice.
The University has also suspended all international travel by staff.
The University of Ghana says it will not hesitate to cancel all mass programs including lectures and hall weeks if the need arises in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have indicated that they have stepped up measures to help sensitize the university community.