Coronavirus: Borders remain closed until further notice - Akufo-Addo

President Nana Akufo-Addo has extended the partial lockdown on Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi by a week more.

He also says the country’s borders will remain closed until further notice.

In his sixth address to the nation on the coronavirus situation, which has killed six out of the three hundred and seventy-eight confirmed cases so far, the President said on Thursday night that: “Seventy-nine per cent of the three hundred seventy-eight confirmed cases were imported”, adding: “Clearly, until we have the situation fully under control, we cannot, at this time, open our borders; they’ll have to remain shut until further notice”.

Mr Akufo-Addo said a total of four hundred and fifty contact-tracing teams have been able to take samples of thirty-seven thousand four hundred and five people, so far.

“In total, seventy-seven positive cases were recorded in Accra and Kumasi, representing zero point five three per cent of the fourteen thousand six hundred and eleven.

“We expect to be able to test some ten thousand additional samples in the coming week to give us a clearer picture to enable take a decision on the way forward”, he announced, adding: “The fight is not over and we are by now means out of the woods yet”.

“So, the decision has been taken, through the issuance of another executive instrument, to extend the restriction on movement in the Greater Accra metropolitan area and Kasoa; and the Greater Kumasi metropolitan area and its contiguous districts by one more week”.

As far as relief packages are concerned, the President said: “We have decided on further measures for all Ghanaians for the next three months. The government will fully absorb electricity bills for the poorest of the poor; that is for all lifeline consumers. That is free electricity for persons who consume zero to fifty-kilowatt hours per month for this period. In addition, for all other consumers, residential and commercial, the government will absorb fifty per cent of your electricity bill for this period using your March bill as your benchmark”.