President Akufo-Addo says government is currently considering a lockdown of the country over the coronavirus pandemic as proposed by organised labour.
President Akufo-Addo gave the hint when he addressed a five-member top hierarchy of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) at the Jubilee House. The TUC members present were the Secretary-General of the TUC, Dr. Yaw Baah; Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC, Joshua Ansah; Chairman of the TUC, Richard Yeboah; Vice Chairman of the TUC, Alex Nyarko-Opoku and the Head of Research and Chief Economist of the TUC, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko-Otoo.
“People are talking now in Ghana about a lockdown. Majority of people who will be affected by decisions of that nature are the working people of our country. The ordinary people of Ghana, they are the ones that will be most affected and it is important for us when we are taking these decisions to take into account their circumstances and conditions to lockdown Accra,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“What are the consequences, when we lockdown the country. A responsible government is required to look at all the implications before decisions are made and that is the exercise on which we are currently engaged and I am hoping that much sooner than later, we will come to an agreement within government as to what those measures are and then the Ghanaian people will be informed,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Secretary-General of the TUC
Secretary-General of the TUC, Dr. Yaw Baah, in a brief remark noted that their letter to the President asking for a total lockdown of the country was to express support for for all that government has done so far and not to undermine same. He added that calls from their members about what government intends to do about the working population neccessitated the communication sent to the Presidency. He pledged the TUC’s support for government throughout the difficult season of fighting to contain and stop the coronavirus (Covid-19), in Ghana.
Attendees of the Meeting
As part of the meeting with the TUC Executive, the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare; Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten; Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu and the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah and the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah were in attendance.
Covid-19 in Ghana
Ghana over the last two weeks has recorded one hundred and thirty (132) confirmed Covid-19 cases within its shores. Nearly nine hundred and seventy contact tracing persons have also been identified and are being monitored by health officials. Over one thousand persons who arrived in Ghana on Saturday the 21st of March 2020 are currently in mandatory quarantine. The President has also issued executive orders that has resulted in the closure of all schools in the country and churches for the next four (4) weeks as well as a ban on public gatherings in the country for the next four weeks. The country’s boarders and ports of entry have also been closed to prevent imported cases into the country.
Global Situation
According to the official Covid-19 website of John Hopkins, www.coronavirus.jhu.edu, the global situation on confirmed cases stands at over 487,648 and over 22,030 persons have lost their lives. Some 117,749 have so far recovered from the coronavirus infection as at 1pm, 26th of March 2020.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Wilberforce Asare
