Ghana’s COVID-19 deaths have risen to 95, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has announced.
Additionally, 414 new cases have been reported from 25 districts and three regions across the country.
“We have so far following the review recorded 95 deaths. Currently, we have 24 severe cases across the country and six cases are critical and five persons are currently on ventilators. We have a total of 414 new cases reported from 25 districts across the country and three regions. Which is that about 13 regions did not record any new case yesterday,” Dr. Kuma-Aboagye announced at the Tuesday press briefing on the status of the virus in Ghana.
Meanwhile, Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has described sanctions under Ghana’s mask-wearing law in the wake of COVID-19 as ridiculous.
According to him, the sanctions in their current form is destructive and does not seek to reform an offender as sanctions are intended to do.
The law among other things says “a person who fails to comply with the restrictions imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection 1 of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1,000 penalty unit (Gh¢12,000) and not more than 5,000 penalty units (Gh¢ 60,000) or to a term of imprisonment not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.”
Commenting on the penalties, Mr Kpebu told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr that sanctions with financial implications for the citizenry must be in sync with the economic realities of the country.
“Where in this world will you see such a ridiculous sanction regime? The law is made to reform not to destroy, what we have is very ridiculous and I don’t think the President is aware of it and what the people think about it. It is a very ridiculous law. You’re going to destroy citizens with such a law. If you look at the minimum wage, how much savings can an average person do to be able to raise that minimum fine?” he quizzed.
He also said portions of the law that insists on a person wearing mask even if they are alone in their vehicles must be tested in court.
“We may have to go to court. It cannot be the case that if you are in your car with air-conditioning on, you should have your mask on. It is absurd, you can’t have it on in your car but as soon as you pick a friend you need to wear a mask”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM