Coronavirus: 'Use 600m stimulus package to purchase ventilators' – Kwesi Pratt to govt

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr says government could have used the 600m stimulus package meant for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to purchase ventilators for ailing covid-19 patients.

President Akufo-Addo on April 19, announced the allocation of a ¢600 million stimulus package to small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) this month as part of efforts to deal with the effects of the Covid-19 on the business community.

The loans form part of measures put in place by the government of Ghana to mitigate the strain on Small and Medium scale businesses across the country that has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic

Since the announcement of the development, some entrepreneurs and businesses have been waiting for the roll-out of a criteria to access the said funds with some already skeptical as to the feasibility of the initiative.

Others have also urged government to ensure transparency in the disbursement of stimulus package allocated for businesses.

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr who said this in an interview with Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka FM’s AM Drive noted that some groups including the Trade Union Congress have described the 600m as insufficient.

According to Kwasi Pratt, it would have been appropriate for government to use this money to purchase additional ventilators to augment the existing ones to fight the coronavirus.

Kwasi Pratt hinted that per his checks, some companies will receive as low as Ghs3000 which is “meagre”.

“Which one is more important, is it lives or business? Life is more important as it stands. I think purchasing more ventilators to augment the already existing ones is more important than anything else”, he said.

Ghana’s covid-19 case count currently stands at 5,735 with 1,754 recoveries.

Death toll is 29.