Coronavirus: Concealing your health status makes mockery of president - Nana Ofori chides

PPP Stalwart, Nana Ofori Owusu has chided the Health Minister, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu for concealing his COVID-19 status after contracting the disease.

The Minister reportedly receiving treatment at the University of Ghana Hospital, Legon, but before the truth was established by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; an aide to Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu is said to have denied reports that the Minister has been infected by the virus.

The President, delivering his 11th update on COVID-19 on Sunday, June 14, 2020, confirmed the Minister's health status revealing he has tested positive for the novel Coronavirus and wished him speedy recovery.

"Let us also wish our hardworking Minister for Health, Hon Kwaku Agyemang Manu, MP for Dormaa Central Constituency, a speedy recovery from the virus which he contracted in the line of duty but in a stable condition'', he stated.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Nana Ofori Owusu wondered why the Health Minister would shy from disclosing his COVID-19 status saying ''it makes mockery of all the things that the President has directed us to do and gives strength to the stigmatization. We need consistency and oneness of voice in this situation''.

Considering the position of Hon. Agyeman Manu as the country's Health Minister and the fact that he has been admonishing the citizens against stigmatization, Nana Ofori expected him to have set a good example.

''The mismessaging makes all of us panic the more. Because why would the Minister of Health who gives us statistics and calms us down cannot tell us he has contracted the disease and is undergoing treatment, and therefore will be okay?'' he questioned.

He, therefore, called on the nation's leaders to stop hiding their status from the public so as to give them hope that it is not gloomy to contract the disease ''because our leader has been infected and he has told us and is going through the process for speedy recovery while we also pray for him. But if you won't tell us and you say you left your house to go to the hospital, it gives room to all of us to panic the more''.