Personal behavior of Ghanaians critical in coronavirus fight – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo says the personal behavioural choices of Ghanaians is the single most important thing if the country is to win the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Addressing members and leaders of the Creative Arts industry in Ghana, at the seat of the country’s Presidency, Jubilee House, today 30th of April 2020, Akufo-Addo said even though contact tracing, testing, and treatment are important, there is no better choice Ghanaians can make than to be disciplined and respect all social distancing protocols announced by health officials and government.

“More than anything else, more than medicine, more than isolation, more than treatment, more than testing, tracing, the ultimate salvation for us in this fight is our personal behaviour, the extent to which we are prepared to discipline ourselves, our hygiene, our respect for these social distancing norms, the masks you are wearing whenever you step out, these are the instruments that would get us over the harp” President Akufo-Addo said.

The President called upon the creative arts industry personalities to support the behavioural and developmental communication efforts of the government to reach out to the citizenry to adopt the best practices that can help guarantee the containment of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana.

Jane Edna Nyame, the Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture and Mark Okraku Mantey, the President of the Interim Creative Arts Council, addressed the President and the gathering on behalf of their colleagues.

They both pledged to support the efforts of government aimed at drawing the attention of the Ghanaian people to the need to respect and adhere to the safety protocols in order to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19. They also asked President to champion efforts to ensure that they have adequate financial resources at their disposal to carry out their work in the arts industry.

Among the personalities who were present at the meeting are Akosua Abdallah, Director, Community Youth and culture Centre, Nana Freduah Ofori-Atta, Broad Chairman of the National Theatre, William Boateng, the Acting Director, Bureau of Ghanaian languages, Socrates Sarfo, the Director of Programmes at the NCC, Birimah Kwesi Asimadu Sayki, Regional Director, Commission on National Culture for Ashanti Region, Professor Nana Nketia, Policy Advisor for the NCC, Bibi Bright, the Executive Secretary of the CAC, Frank Kwabena Owusu, Head of Operations of CAC, David Dontoh, the President of the National Film Authority, Juliet Asante, Executive Director of National Film Authority, Bessa Simons, the Acting President of the Musicians Union of Ghana, James Aboagye, President of Film Producers Association Rex Omar, Board Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organization, Samuel Fishian president of Ghana Actors Guild, Ken Fiati and TonyKwasi Owusu, president of the fashion industry among others.