The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has tightened its Covid-19 protocols to protect its members and other people who interact with members of the party ahead of the December 7 general elections.
This comes at the back of increase in the number of active cases in the country.
Ghana’s active Covid-19 cases have risen within three weeks from 398 cases to 1,139 active cases, as of Friday, November 6. Some 320 people, though a great majority of them with underlying illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic liver disease and asthma, have died.
The number of daily infections has also risen from an average of 25 new cases per day to an average of over 130.
The governing NPP, in view of the rise in numbers, has called on its rank and file to “strictly adhere to all Covid-19 safety protocols.”
A statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Freddy Blay, directed organisers of party events to make provisions for thermometer guns, veronica buckets, and hand sanitisers at all times.
“Leadership of the party at various levels must also ensure strict adherence to the social distancing protocols and must make the wearing of face masks mandatory for all members and at all times during party gatherings,” the statement said.
Commendation
The party has also commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the government on their commitment to fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic, “results of which is shown in the Ghanaian success story which has been recognised around the world as Ghana placed third in the list of successful countries in the fight against Covid-19.”
The party has also thanked its leadership at the various levels for “mobilising the grassroots and selling the good work of President Akufo-Addo and our great party.”
“As a party, we pledge our continuous support to the government in its effort at fighting this pandemic and building our nation,” the statement added.
Tightened security
In a related development, Government has charged the security agencies to enforce and deal with persons who flout the Covid-19 safety protocols, especially the wearing of face mask.
Speaking at a media encounter on Monday, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said compliance with the safety protocols countrywide is low. He therefore urged the law enforcement agencies to ensure that members of the public comply with the safety measures.
“We will reiterate a call to the security agencies and to the managers, particularly, of enclosed places, to ensure that compliance with the wearing of masks, at least, is enforced. All of us as citizens have the responsibility of ensuring that the other parts of it [like washing of hands and using a sanitizer] are taken into consideration,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye, has said even though the country has well equipped health facilities, they are not enough to handle a surge in the worst case scenario. He therefore urged the populace to comply fully to all the safety protocols.
This notwithstanding, he has indicated that the country, as it stands now, has the capacity to deal with the new hike in cases.
“Still our hospitalisations are very low. We have 926 beds available in case of a surge. Our isolation capacity is 744 across the country,” the GHS Director-General said.
He also debunked allegations that the Noguchi Memorial Centre had ceased testing of Covid-19 cases, adding that the government is collaborating with GHS to strengthen the capacity of the centre to carry out more tests.
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