Coronavirus: Government to renew Imposition of Restriction Act

Government has announced plans to renew the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), which expired on Tuesday, December 22, 2020.

The legislation allowed for restrictions to be imposed if it is reasonably required in the interest of defence, public safety, public health or the running of essential services; on the movement or residence within Ghana and to restrict the freedom of entry into the country.

Addressing a news conference in Accra, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the Act allowed government to impose COVID-19 restrictions on movements of people, especially in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi.

He said the COVID-19 technical taskforce was reviewing the legislation to ensure compliance with safety protocols.

Meanwhile, Mr Oppong Nkrumah urged the security agencies to enforce the ban on beaches, nightclubs and pubs as well as adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

He entreated Ghanaians not to patronise beaches and nightclubs during the Yuletide because they were high-risk areas for the spread of Coronavirus disease.

Currently, Ghana has recorded 54,043 positive COVID-19 cases, with 52,777 recoveries/ discharged, representing 97.7 per cent recovery rate, according to Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General, Ghana Health Service.

There are 933 active cases and 333 deaths with 0.62 per cent fatality rate far below the global rate of 2.25 per cent.

Ghana has so far tested 646,697 cases, representing 20,000 per million population and 8.4 per cent positivity rate.

Dr Kumah-Aboagye, said people with hypertension, diabetes and asthma were more prone to infection and at high risk of succumbing to the disease.

Persons between 20 and 49 years are the most infected.