Coronavirus fight: Take a cue from Nigeria, Togo – MP to government

The Member of Parliament for Sawla Tuna Kalba, Andrew Dari Chiwitey, has urged government to draw lessons from neighbouring countries Nigeria and Togo in the fight against the coronavirus.

According to him, the cases detected in the aforementioned West African countries have been resolved following reports that affected persons have been cured and discharged from health facilities.

He thus bemoaned the lack of adequate preparedness by government after confirmed cases increased from two to six, blaming government for poor management of the pandemic.

“You can imagine Nigeria reported only two and up till now we have not heard about any numbers being reported again and so it tells you that the management Nigeria has put in place is very solid unlike Ghana.”

“Nigeria reported the two before Ghana. We recorded two now we have reported about six. Even we are thinking the numbers will possibly increase so it tells you that the management systems we have put in Ghana is very porous and we have to work at it seriously,” Chiwitey lamented.

On how the situation could have quickly been curbed after the initial two confirmed cases in Ghana, the MP noted that the swift action government should have taken was quickly cease flights mostly from affected countries.

“We thank God that our airports will be closed otherwise the first time we announced the two, the government should have stopped flights coming in. You see the number of people recorded are those who flew in with the cases. It is coming into the country. The way things are going, our management system is very poor and very very bad and we have to look at it.”

He further called on the leadership of parliament to reconsider sittings in the Chamber following a directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that all outdoor events and gatherings must be put to a hold.



According to the president the move forms part of the precautionary measures to prevent a widespread of the virus in the country.

In his words, “…we are all at risk. For coronavirus is no respecter of the individual. It doesn’t matter whether a parliamentarian, minister, a president whoever. And so I think leadership of parliament should be critical. They should look at it and see that the rate at which it is increasing in Ghana is usually alarming.”