Hon.Cynthia Morrison

_Dear Hon. Cynthia Morrison,_

I bring you greetings from Apam in the Gomoa West Constituency of the Central Region where I see majority of our people making frantic efforts to observe the WHO protocols for combating the covid-19 pandemic, especially the protocol on social distancing. It’s very refreshing to see even the not – too – lettered follow the protocols religiously.

I am a regular listener of _Asempa FM’s_ late afternoon show, _Ekosii Sen_ , and I must confess that I always feel extremely proud to listen to interviews with women like yourself who are deeply involved in the governance of this our beautiful Ghana. Your voice always reminds me of the likes of Hon. Ama Benyiwa Doe, Madam Sarah Yeboah, Hon. Hannah Serwaah Tetteh and Hon. Madam Joyce Aidoo, just to mention a few, and the solid foundation these amazing daughters of Central Region laid for women in national politics. You, Hon. Cynthia Morrison, have no reason to fail in your political career as you have the exploits of these solid women to guide you.

I have decided to write this short epistle to you because of the popular adage _”nea otwa sar no nnyim de n’ekyir akyea (to wit, he who cuts the path does not know how crooked the path is).”_ As a young woman who aspires to build a career in politics, I find it extremely necessary to draw your attention to the crooked path you are busily cutting in your political career.

Day after day, and at any given time that your office has been faced with situations where you are directly called upon to deal with problems that fall squarely within the functions of your office, you have been found wanting and always end up resorting to the throwing of baseless tantrums all over the place instead of providing that decisive leadership expected of you. From the missing Takoradi girls to the arrest and trial of drivers in your constituency for holding demonstrations over the extremely bad nature of their roads, from the kayayes arrested at Ejisu while trying to flee from the lockdown in Accra to your very recent loose talk on Asempa FM in which you cautioned President Mahama to seek permission before supporting hungry households within the lockdown areas with foodstuffs, in all these you fall short of expectation. You are certainly operating within realms directly opposite to the shining examples your predecessors left behind.

It would be recalled that, Former President and Flag Bearer of the National Democratic Congress, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, a couple of days ago in a live video, made a presentation of foodstuffs which are targeted at supporting a whopping 20,000 households within the lockdown areas. The foodstuffs made up of bags of rice, canned fish, cooking oil, tomato paste among others, were to be handed over to Traditional Authorities and Islamic Leaders in the lockdown areas for onward distribution to vulnerable households within their jurisdictions. This modus operandi adopted by the Former President and Flag Bearer of the NDC was to do away with the over politicisation of such reliefs as has become the order of the day, even with distribution from State institutions like the NADMO. This huge donation follows a similar one in which President Mahama presented several sets of PPEs worth Gh¢390,000.00 to frontline health workers across the country to help them stand up firmly in the fight against covid-19.

Whereas this gesture by President Mahama in these difficult times has been hailed and welcomed by level-headed Ghanaians, you a Minister who should be the happiest for this relief to the very people you sit in that air-conditioned office and claim to protect, sat in the studios of _Asempa FM_ and did not only seek to insult the Former President but also issued a threat to him to seek permission before he distributes those foodstuffs. Madam, what exactly is your purpose in that office?

Over the last of couple of days, the nation has been confronted with several complaints of serious politics in the ongoing distribution of governmental support to the vulnerable. There have been reports and complaints of people having been requested to produce NPP party cards before they could be given what is supposed to be a State intervention. Others throw down the food from moving trucks and the vulnerable are expected to chase the trucks and catch the food. Social media has been awashed with videos of food being distributed to these vulnerable people. In fact, if those videos are anything to go by, I will say that what is being distributed by the State to these vulnerable people is more dangerous than covid-19. Madam, have these primitive things come to your notice? As for what is being done by NADMO, the least said about it the better.

I had anticipated that the repeated calls by President Nana Akufo Addo on the citizenry to unite and support government in this fight against this ruthless enemy would be a helpful guide to you, considering the sensitive nature of the office you occupy. I had anticipated that you would rather use your office to build a strong working relationship with the office of the Former President and Flag Bearer of the NDC to ensure an effective distribution of the donations. I had anticipated that you would rather place the interests of the vulnerable masses ahead of your parochial and partisan interests. But hey, here we are. You rather chose to engage in completely needless and clueless exercise of temper tantrums.

Madam, you should know that Ghana is faced with a very mean enemy that has reduced even the most mighty nations to ground zero and on their knees begging for assistance from other nations. Ghana does not only need assistance from other nations but also from citizens within who can afford to extend a hand of solace to the vulnerable. This is exactly what President Mahama and many other kind-hearted citizens have been doing since the outbreak of covid-19 in the country. No one needs your permission and no one will seek any permission from you in order to show compassion to humanity, most especially in such a time of crisis. This is not the right time for anyone to sit on any high horses. It is a sign of complete weakness and I encourage you to shake it off. Please jump down from the high horse so you can see the real problems and be able to appreciate such invaluable humanitarian gestures as extended by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to 20,000 households in the lockdown areas. Moving on, I humbly implore you to be mindful of the sterling examples set by your predecessors and be guided accordingly.

I wish you well.

#breakthechain
#stopthespread

STAY AT HOME!

Abena Ehun

Deputy Communication.

Current confirmed cases in Ghana as at 12thApril,2020.

With this issue of Convid-19,I believe the government’s approach towards its fight have been quite inefficient..It is barely one month since the country confirmed it’s two cases but unfortunately, we lead in West Africa with 566 cases as at 12th April,2020 ahead of countries like Nigeria,Togo,Burkina,Faso,Senegal and Cameroon who recorded cases before Ghana.

Some measures have been introduced towards its solution but to whether the current measures can be trusted is quite mysterious because this issue began in Accra the capital but the inability to contain the virus in Accra alone led to confirmation of cases in Kumasi. Restrictions were however put on public gatherings,schools were closed and some measures were introduced for activities in some facilties or places.Later on,Accra and some parts Kumasi were locked down partially in addition to some efforts on our borders and later the international airport which included mandatory and self quarantine (mostly for VIPs) for new people who entered the country.This was before the airport was closed.Wierdly enough,we had individuals travelling from Accra to the Northern part of Ghana via public transport during this period which led to a case been recorded in Wa.Therefore if these measures were very effective, how did the country manage to record that case in Wa.Now cases in the Northern part of Ghana kept increasing drastically and yet still nothing was done to the curb its spread to other unaffected regions.

Citizens were continuously informed basically on issues pertaining to the increased number of cases without any idea on necessary control measures,how contact tracing is ongoing and where or how contacts are been quarantined.
Moreover,movements in affected regions to regions unaffected which are not on lockdown were still on going.For example,a person from Tamale in an affected region can travel to Oti,Volta,Bono,Ahafo and Eastern region without fear of restrictions.Corresponding to this,illegal movements of people to lockdown areas were still on going.A significant example is Guinean national who escaped from Tamale to Accra when Accra was on a partial Lockdown.

Current situation of spread in the country.

Today Ghana has Convid-19 cases in 10 regions with Eastern Region recording more cases at an unpromising rate.We have an idea of how it began the region but to how its spreading at at that rate, we can not tell and to whether the NIA card registration in the Eastern region at the point where the country had recorded cases of community spread,its still a mystery.I am only hoping the government restructure its measures and makes it more effective and efficient towards the solution of this global pandemic in the country.

The items former president Mahama donated to the hospital

Former President John Dramani Mahama has donated some personal protective equipment (PPE) worth several thousands of Ghana cedis to the Upper East Regional Hospital to help curb the spread of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The donation is the latest contribution the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has made as part of his nationwide offer of assistance to the citizenry in the wake of a pandemic that has claimed 8 lives in Ghana and killed more than 100, 000 people globally.

A senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Dr Vida Nyagre Yakong, led a contingent of NDC regional and constituency executives in handing over the PPE to the regional hospital on behalf of the former Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“The former President is reaching out to all facilities around the country to support them with items that will help them do their work. He extends his profound gratitude to all health workers across the country for the good work they have been doing. We are aware of the challenges that they do have; most of it dwells on the lack of PPE. If they (health workers) have nothing to protect themselves, I don’t see how they are going to fight the battle. We are not waiting for health service providers to go on strike because they have nothing to work with before we respond to their cry; and, so, today is a response to that.

“As a technical team, we are happy that the recommendations that we have provided to government, they are implementing them. And one key example is the recent announcement by the President that they are providing incentives, motivation, for healthcare providers, ” said Dr Yakong, who is also a member of a nonpartisan COVID-19 technical team established by Mahama to support the Akufo-Addo-led government with technical ideas to effectively deal with the spread of the disease.

Also in attendance at the event was Dr Thomas Anaba, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Accra-based Ridge Hospital.

Gov’t urged to speed up PPE distribution and establish testing centres.

The delegation also registered an observation that healthcare workers lacked PPE in many places and, with deep concerns, urged government to provide them with protective kit without further delay.

“We are also as a technical team encouraging government to speed up with the distribution of PPE across the country. We have heard everywhere, every corner, that [health] providers are crying for PPE. The Ghana Medical Association has also made it clear that, ‘Yes, thank you for the incentives, but what we need most is the PPE. We have to be alive to enjoy these incentives.’

“And I think that call is very strong and we are urging government to respond quickly to this call. We are also urging government to open up more testing centres. We are the regional hospital in Bolgatanga and I think in this region and the entire north we do not have any testing centre yet. The two [testing centres] are still Accra, Kumasi. That is not adequate if we are going to go progressive and combat this virus,” stated Dr Yakong who also serves as the National Women’s Organiser of the Progressive Intellectuals.

The lecturer stressed: “We need to be progressive. We are calling on government to establish the centres as a matter of urgency now. The Navrongo Health Research Centre is ready and could be of help. The Tamale Teaching Hospital, the University for Development Studies in Tamale where they train medical laboratory scientists, they have more qualified staff and they have a lab. All we need is to prepare them, aid them and this can be taken up quickly.”

Mahama’s anti-COVID-19 donations throughout the country are worth Gh¢390,000 combined, according to the contingent.

File photo

An Elder of the Church of Pentecost in Akasi District of the Ashanti Region has been confirmed dead by health officials of the Ankasi Government Hospital after two weeks of battling with gunshot injury.

The deceased, Elder Asante Nyamekye, a fortnight ago, was attacked by armed robbers while returning from work at the Methodist Hospital. He was a Laboratory Technician.

He in the process, sustained gunshot injury and was rushed to the Ankasi Government Hospital where he was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for two weeks before his sudden demise.

The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Ankasi Government Hospital morgue.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Despite the rising cases of Coronavirus in the Eastern Region, President Nana Akufo-Addo has excluded the region in his latest extension ban on public gatherings including religious activities, marriages ceremonies, birthday parties and funerals by an additional two weeks.

Ghana’s COVID-19 case count has risen to 566. This comes after the Ghana Health Service confirmed 158 new cases, and the Eastern Region now has the third-highest number of confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus, after Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.

The region, which President Akufo-Addo’s home region, has recorded 28 cases of the

novel Coronavirus but interestingly, it is not on lockdown to restrict human movements, unlike Accra and Kumasi which were locked down with fewer cases. It is not clear what accounts for the exclusion.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin said the extension takes effect from Monday, 13th April 2020. The announcement posted on his Facebook wall yesterday, did not mention any town in the Eastern Region although Accra, Tema and Kumasi in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, respectively, were mentioned.

But there are fears among health workers The Herald spoke to that, if the region is not locked down immediately, the situation will escalate. Mention was made of interactions and contacts between traders and buyers in various major markets across the region on different days of the week, and if care was not taken, things could run out of control.

“President Akufo-Addo has signed the Executive Instrument (EI) extending the duration of the restrictions imposed under EI 64 and EI 65. The restrictions imposed on public gatherings, under EI 64, have been extended for a further period of two (2) weeks, with effect from (today) Monday 13th April, 2020,” Eugene Arhin said in the Facebook post yesterday.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, in a television broadcast, declared the ban on all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities and other related events as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.

At the time, Ghana had recorded six cases of COVID-19. The President in that broadcast gave a caveat that private burials were permitted however mourners present must not exceed 25.

“Private burials are permitted, but with limited numbers, not exceeding twenty-five (25) in attendance,” Akufo-Addo said.

Already, schools have been shut down across the country. Most market places are open however under strict social-distancing protocols and the presence of handwashing facilities.

Some local assemblies have moved in to close markets where traders flout the social distancing directives.

Eugene Arhin reiterated the President’s directive for the restricted movement of persons within Accra, Tema and Kumasi to be extended by an additional week.

“As announced already, the restrictions imposed on the movement of persons in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa, under EI 65, have been extended for a further period of one week with effect from Monday…All other provisions, including all exemptions in EI 64, and EI 65, are still in full force and effect,” he said.

Details of the president’s other directives as outlined in his March 2020 broadcast are as follows:

– The Government of Ghana’s Travel Advisory issued earlier today should be observed as announced;

– Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, but should observe prescribed social distancing between patrons and staff;

– Establishments, such as supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, night clubs, hotels and drinking spots, should observe enhanced hygiene procedures by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands;

– The Ministry of Transport should work with the transport unions and private and public transport operators to ensure enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands; and

– The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development should co-ordinate, with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country.

Media reports are that, the Eastern Region until Good Friday had only one case, an Indian expatriate working with the Afcon construction company building the Tema-Akosombo rail project. From the case of the Indian expatriate, more than a dozen were recorded and later spiked to 28 cases in Eastern Region.

Reports that more cases were being recorded in the Eastern Region have provoked the need for more testing centres to be opened across the country aside the two; Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR).

It is believed that additional testing centres will mean less pressure on the two and more test results made available faster and regularly especially contact tracing. These, according to experts The Herald spoke to, will get the country to appreciate the full extent of the pandemic and be able to control the spread.

Manya Krobo Municipal Health Director, Bismarck Sarkodie is reported that 20 new cases had been confirmed.

Eight of the new cases were said to have been recorded in the Lower Manya Krobo District.

However, the Deputy Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Antobre Boateng is said to have contradicted the Manya Krobo Municipal Health Director, saying only 15 cases had been confirmed.

But the new cases are confirmed results from among 244 persons who were quarantined at the Afcon Construction Company in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality where the Indian expatriate working on the Akosombo to Tema railway project tested positive for the virus in March.

Out of the 244 samples, 19 had contact with the Indian expatriate.

On April 9, 2020, the Eastern Regional Health Directorate announced that it had submitted a total of 373 samples of suspected coronavirus cases in the region to the Noguchi Memorial Institute, awaiting results.

It is not yet known if the new confirmed cases from the Eastern Region are part of the 65 new cases announced by the government, sending the national tally to 378.

The Ghana Health Service has yet to confirm the new cases announced by President Akufo-Addo during his sixth address to the nation on government’s measures to control the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by Coronavirus.

Earlier, Municipal Health Director, Bismarck Sarkodie, said they were expecting more results from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research where the samples had been sent for testing.

The national case count as announced by President Akufo-Addo, last Thursday night in his national address remains 378 with six deaths and four recoveries.

So far 10 out of the country’s 16 regions have recorded at least a case of the deadly infection. These are Greater Accra – 452, Ashanti – 49, Eastern – 32, Northern – 10, Volta – 9, Upper West –7, Upper East – 4, North East – 1, Western – 1 and Central – 1.

File photo

A 26-year-old unemployed man who stole cocoyam valued at GHC150.00 from a farm, has been remanded into police custody by the Nkawie Circuit Court.

Kwaku Baafi pleaded guilty and would reappear before the Court on April 22, this year.

His accomplice, Abenaa Maanu, who bought the cocoyam, was granted a GHC20,000.00 bail with two sureties, after pleading guilty to abetment of crime.

She would also reappear before the court on the same day with the accused person.

Police Inspector Ruth Gborson, told the court presided by Mr. Johnson Abbey that, both the complainant and the accused lived at Otaakrom in the Atwima-Mponua District.

She said on April 02, this year, the wife of the complainant saw Baafi with the cocoyam in a sack coming from the direction of the complainant’s farm.

The wife became suspicious since the accused had no farm in the area.

The prosecution said when the wife went to the farm, she found out that a number of cocoyam had been uprooted and therefore, rushed to the house and informed the husband.

A complaint was made to the police and the accused was arrested.

Inspector Gborson said during interrogation, the accused admitted the offence and told the police that he had sold the cocoyam to the second accused person.

She was also arrested and both of them charged and brought before the court.

The police at the incident scene

A man who was trying assist an 11-year-old boy to peel sugarcane at Koforidua Oyoko in the Eastern Region has had his penis bitten by the boy’s father.

Eric Kwadwo told the Police in the area that he was returning from town on April 6 at about 8:00 p.m. when he met the boy alone peeling sugarcane by the roadside.

He claimed the boy sought his asistance and while helping out, father of the boy whose name has been given by the Police as Attah Kwaku arrived at the scene.

Attah was said to have questioned Kwadwo as to why he was standing with his son at that time, the Eastern Regional police said in its report Wednesday.

According to the Police, Kwadwo began to walk away from the boy but Attah ran after him and pushed him down, causing Kwadwo to “fall face down”.

Kwadwo sustained injuries to the nostrils, face and on the right hand.

Police say the father of the boy who was not satisfied, pounded on Kwadwo and bit his penis, leaving him with “a deep cut”.

Investigations into the case has commenced by the police which is on a manhunt for Attah. He now faces charges of causing harm.

Photos of the njuries to the face and penis have been taken by the police as evidence.

CEO of Ghana Water Company Limited, Dr Clifford Braimah

To enjoy the free water supply the president announced on Sunday evening, persons who owe the Ghana Water Company Limited first have to pay their debt, Chief Executive Officer of the company Dr Clifford Braimah has said.

He said customers whose lines have been disconnected for non-payment of bills should also not expect to be reconnected.

“The people who are owing us, we expect that they pay before they get free water. Somebody said those of them who have been disconnected, we have to connect them so that they will benefit from the three months [free water service]. I said the President is not telling me to give free water to those who are not connected because the president is not paying for January or February. And so those owing will have to pay,” Dr Braimah said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday.

He added that a meeting will be held later in the day to decide on the modalities involved in water tankers supplying water to communities that are not served by the Ghana Water Company Limited.

“Some people in Accra who already do not have connection and we are setting aside tanker services to be able to attend to them. We will consider those who have been disconnected as those that are to benefit from the tanker service,” he said.

Due to the need to regularly wash the hands as part of efforts to fight Coronavirus, the availability of water has become imperative in the country.

Ghanaians believe this gesture will ease pressure on their finances especially as the partial lockdown and suspension of most businesses have affected their livelihoods.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his last address to the nation on developments on the fight against COVID-19 said Ghanaians won’t have to pay for water from April to June as government will foot bill.

This he said, is to provide relief for Ghanaians amidst the partial lockdown in some parts of the country.

“In addition, there will be no disconnection of supply. Furthermore, the government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, ie, April, May, and June. All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilized to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities,” the president said.