Akufo-Addo’s free meal plan, others require in-depth planning – Nunoo Mensah

Former National Security Advisor, Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo Mensah (Rtd) says although the President has outlined good plans to aid Ghanaians in the corvid-19 era, the policies need in-depth planning to ensure feasibility.

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has will delivering a covid-19 update speech said he has directed the Minister for Finance to send to Parliament the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP), which will through the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Local Government and Rural Development, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), work with MMDCEs and the faith-based organisation, provide food for up to four hundred thousand (400,000) individuals and homes in the affected areas of the restrictions.

This exercise has already started in Accra and will begin in Kumasi in the coming days.

“It will come in the form of dry food packages and hot meals, and will be delivered to vulnerable communities in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa”, the president said.

Speaking in an interview with Kaakyire Ofori Ayim on Atinka FM’s AM Drive, Former National Security Adviser, Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo Mensah (Rtd) said it will be very difficult organizing the feeding program in the areas the president mentioned.

According to him, it’s one thing coming out with a good policy, and another thing implementing the policy itself.

” I don’t Know how this feeding is going to take place but, look at how big Accra is. It’s okay having a policy, but how are you going to get all these people? To cook the food, distribution points etc I think there’s still a lot of work to be done. We need people who have the technical know-how in organizing foods in large quantities, I think the Military has that”, he added.

Commenting on the President’s provision of free, ‘Aayalolo’ buses to convey health workers in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa to and from work, along specific routes, for the entire duration of the restrictions, the former National Security Adviser noted that it is equally a good policy but its feasibility is “shaky”.

“I’m not against these ideas, they are wonderful but its implementation is what I’m worried about”, he added.