A Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah has resigned from his position.
This comes after he admitted breaching COVID-19 protocols by visiting a registration centre despite being aware that he has tested positive for the virus.
The Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, confirmed the resignation in a statement on Friday morning indicating that President Nana Akufo-Addo has accepted the resignation.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 3rd July, 2020, accepted the resignation from office of the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, MP, which takes immediate effect. This follows the admission by the Deputy Minister of his breach of the COVID-19 protocols, when, as a person certified to be positive for the virus, he visited a registration centre in his constituency before the period of self-isolation was complete,” the statement said.
Carlos Ahenkorah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tema West constituency on Eyewitness News on Thursday defended his decision for stepping out and monitoring the ongoing voter registration exercise despite testing positive for COVID-19.
He admitted that his doctor had told him to self-isolate but he had to visit a registration centre to resolve some issues that had come up.
“Yes, I have COVID-19 but on the first day of the registration, there was a problem at one of the centres. But knowing my status that I am asymptomatic, I visited only one centre to check on the issue. I never got in the midst of people. I drove in my car and got there, got down and spoke far away with the EC officer who explained the issue to me. I told her I will report this to their boss and then I just left. I was very careful. It is important for people like us to know their status because whether you like it or not, we will go into the midst of people”, he said.
Following his remarks, many Ghanaians took to social media to criticise the legislator for moving into a public place when he was supposed to isolate himself due to his COVID-19 status.
Some of his critics urged the president to sack him, while others said he must resign for his conduct.
The Office of the President said “Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah has acted honourably in the circumstances by resigning his office, and wishes him well.”
The statement from the president’s office urged public officials to “provide leadership, at all times, for adherence to the protocols that have been established to help the nation defeat COVID-19.”
