Coronavirus: Minority simply ignorant about govt's strategic plan - Majority Leader

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has slammed the Minority in Parliament for saying that the Akufo-Addo government has no strategic plan for the fight against the novel coronavirus in the country.

According to the Minister for Parliament Affairs, in the wake of the pandemic, the President put up a team of medical officers knowledgeable in infectious and contagious diseases, forming part of the strategic plans of the Akufo-Addo government to fight the scourge.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu indicated that as part of President Akufo-Addo’s strategic plan to fight the COVID-19, he called upon the services of a World Health Organization (WHO) Deputy Secretary-General, who is a retired Ghanaian, to chair the team and hosts of other renowned health experts to study the situation and accordingly proffer advise.

“Did you ever dream of seeing the COVID-19 in Ghana? Who says he knew that the COVID-19 was coming to Ghana? It took us by surprise. When it came into the country, the President decided to put together a team who are medical officers knowledgeable in the infectious and contagious diseases . . .

“ . . The Ministry of Health also has its team working on the COVID-19 and these two groups from time to time meet to advise the President and sometimes the Cabinet itself joins the meeting. This protocol such as the border closure which was introduced, is it not part of the measures being used to fight the COVID-19? The imposition of restrictions which Parliament passed into a law, is it not also part of the measures to fight the virus?” he quizzed.

The Majority Leader of Parliament averred that the Minority may be confused about what strategic plan means as every measures of the government are strategically put in place to fight the COVID-19.

“ . . if the Minority through Haruna Iddrisu says he has not seen any strategic plan then I don’t know what he means. In their minds, what is a strategic plan? Or he is just commenting for commenting sake? If you are referring to a two-year strategic plan or perhaps a roadmap as to how the issue will be handled, that is an entirely different matter. But bear in mind I have already indicated that the COVID-19 took us by surprise and as we speak nobody knows the exact day the virus will take leave of us...

“So, the trust fund which has been set up by the President is part of the strategic plans of the government to fight the COVID-19. The imposition of restriction which brought about the partial lockdown which helped us in containing initially the spread of the disease is that not part of the strategic plan?”

“. .There are other considerations in the fight against COVID-19 disease and so if he says he cannot see what the government is doing then clearly, i'm even at sea what he is talking about,” he stated.