Coronavirus: 'It takes common sense to side with government's decisions' - Pius Hadzide

Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, has urged Christians calling for the lifting of ban on public gathering which includes church services to first think of how to protect each other in this difficult time than wanting to go back to the church.

"Indeed ban on churches can be lifted, but we need markets open to survive the test of time," he clarified.

In an interview on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' newspaper discussion programme, he said President Akufo-Addo is very troubled each day meeting the COVID-19 task force on the way forward to get citizens out of this mess, therefore, it will not be fair for anyone to tag him as taking decisions for political gains.

"We (Ghana) cannot follow preventive measures taken by other countries in dealing with precautionary measures on COVID-19 in our country, we must conduct our own research and analysis depending on our level of positivity rate.’

"Let no one confuse you that lockdown is the only means to fight or prevent COVID-19, it is just one of the measures," he said in support of President Akufo-Addo's statement to ECOWAS last week on measures to help curtail the spread of the virus.

“I think it’s very, very important that we tailor a specific Ghanaian, African response to the handling of this pandemic, and not necessarily copy blindly the methods that are being adopted by countries to the north of us and elsewhere.”

These were the words of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, 23 April 2020, when he joined colleague West African Heads of State for a virtual ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit on the Coronavirus pandemic.

Pius Enam Hadzide in an explanation on the reports gathered by government based on which it takes decisions indicated, "it takes common sense to side with government's decisions on COVID-19 because they are the best ever for the nation at this crucial time".