'You are creating fear and panic with your empty coronavirus video message' - Wontumi scolds Mahama

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, has reprimanded former President John Dramani Mahama for being too quick to comment on issues he hasn't been properly briefed on.

Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako in an interview with Peacefmonline noted that he took offense to the video message Mr. Mahama shared on his social media handles because his statements were "empty" and "added no value" to the lives of Ghanaians.

He explained that the content of the addresses, made by President Akufo-Addo in the wake of the pandemic, was the appropriate message Ghanaians wanted to hear and not the 'confusion' former President sort to create with his "improper" message.

The NPP Chairman popularly known as Chairman Wontumi pontificated that the video address made by the former President "was a waste of time and was rather heightening tensions rather than restoring calm".

According to him "in the USA, when Donald Trump addressed the nation, you didn't have an opposition leader come out to act as though he knows better than the President. In the UK when Boris Johnson spoke, Jeremy Corbyn didn't act as if he knows better. But in Ghana, Mahama is desperately trying to act as if he knows better than President Akufo-Addo."

Chairman Wontumi warned Mr. Mahama to put a stop to his Facebook addresses noting that "you are creating fear and panic with your empty coronavirus video message".

Former President John Dramani Mahama called for more action from the government in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

The leader and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress in a Facebook live address on Monday, March 16, 2020, said the government must hit the ground running to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.

He further called on the government to release its plan on how to keep the economy afloat following the outbreak.

Before former President Mahama's comment, President Akufo-Addo had addressed the nation on measures taken by his government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

In a message which was broadcast on state television, President Akufo-Addo noted that "I have come into your homes, again, this evening to provide an update, as I promised, on the measures taken by Government to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

You may recall that on Wednesday, 12th March 2020, when I first spoke to you directly on this matter, I announced the first raft of enhanced measures taken in response to the pandemic. At the time, there had been no reported, confirmed case of the Coronavirus in Ghana.

Since then, six (6) confirmed cases have been announced, all of the people who recently traveled into the country. Advisories on how to manage the developments have also been announced by the Ministries of Health and Information. Public education is being intensified to ensure that citizens are well-advised on preventive measures."