Akufo-Addo took the vaccines first to assure Ghanaians of its safety – Gabby Otchere-Darko

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo took the COVID-19 vaccines live on television in order to assure Ghanaians that the vaccine is safe, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said.

President Akufo-Addo and his wife on Monday, March 1 took the vaccines against the coronavirus.

The event was carried live on television.

In a tweet, Mr Otchere-Darko who is also a former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute said “The President and First Lady of Ghana just took their covid-19 vaccination injection to let you and I know that it is safe to do so when it comes to our turn.”

The President and First Lady of Ghana just took their covid-19 vaccination injection to let you and I know that it is safe to do so when it comes to our turn.

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) March 1, 2021

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has dismissed concerns that the coronavirus vaccines will cause infertility in men and women.

Addressing the nation on the arrival of the vaccines into the country, on Sunday, February 28, Mr Akufo-Addo said “Taking the vaccines will not alter your DNA it will not embed a tracking device in your body, neither will it cause infertility in women and men.”

President Akufo-Addo further said that the arrival of the coronavirus vaccines in Ghana does not mean that Ghanaians should no longer observe all the protocols outlined to tackle the virus.

The COVAX Facility on 23 February delivered 600 000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine to Ghana, making it the first African country to receive the vaccines.

Mr Akufo-Addo said, “The rollout of the vaccination campaign does not mean we should let our guard down and discard the safety protocols that have served us well thus far.”

Following the arrival of the vaccines, information Minister-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the vaccines will be deployed to health facilities from Tuesday, March 2.

“Covid-19 vaccination will be conducted in phases among segmented populations,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency, stated.

“The first segment of the population that will receive from the 600,000 doses will be health workers, adults 60 years and over, people with underlying health conditions, frontline executive, legislature, judiciary and their related staff, frontline security personnel, some religious leaders, essential workers, teachers and other personalities in Greater Accra Metro including Awutu Senya West and Awutu Senya East in the Central Region.

“A similar segmented population in the Greater Kumasi Metro and Obuasi municipality will also be covered.”

He said the government remains resolute at ensuring the welfare of all Ghanaians “and is making frantic efforts to acquire vaccines to cover the entire population through bilateral and multilateral agencies”.

He acknowledged the “hardwork” of the technical teams of stakeholders including the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health and the Covid-19 Task Force.

“Our development partners are also acknowledged for their tremendous financial and technical support.

“It is our hope that they will continue to support us in our sustained efforts in combating this virus and putting Covid-19 behind us.”