I 'can't make sense' out of Akufo-Addo’s 'political' 7th COVID-19 address - Akandoh

Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, says he is struggling to make something meaningful out of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's 7th COVID-19 update to Ghanaians on Sunday.

Assessing the president's address, the NDC stalwart opined that the decision to lift the restrictions on movement in areas earmarked as epicentres of the pandemic, cannot be one backed by science, but more on political lines.

To him, going by the figures, which shows an ascendency in the recorded number of cases in 10 out of 16 regions, it was scientifically wrong to lift the partial lockdown.

“...clearly, where we have reached now the virus is still spreading to other regions. We have realised that at least, every three days the virus spreads to the extent that it has now reached 10 regions when we started with only two regions. So what it tells you is that the virus is still spreading”.

“When the lockdown started, the country has recorded less than 200 cases and when the President was speaking, he said his action was backed by science. So, now where is the science in this current action of the president; the science being in the figures of the cases we have recorded?” he quizzed.

Power Corrupts

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning on Monday, April 20, 2020, the Juaboso MP posited that the president's decision buttresses the fact that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

“With this President, we have, from today onwards, if anyone says he can do anything in this country, I will never doubt that person; he is capable of doing anything and everything under the universe...the country belongs to all us and it is not for one person”, he opined.

Unscientific, Purely Political

To him, the decision is not based on any scientific data but purely political, pointing out that the President should have known the difference between the need for lockdown and the issue of social intervention and proportionate distribution.

“We extended the lockdown when the figures were 144 but now we have recorded over 1000 cases with over 15,000 outstanding samples to be tested...and yet the President has lifted the lockdown. If you look at the mathematics, where is the science that the President said he based his decisions on?... I am struggling to make sense out of this...

“...From where I sit, I see it that it is purely a political decision taken by the President. Quite apart from that, there is no science in it because if some areas in a region record less than 30 cases and less than 20 cases and the President locks down these areas and another area record above 50 cases but such an area is not lockdown even for a minute and you tell me it is based on science, I am struggling to see the science in it...

“If you introduce social intervention and we find out that the distribution is not transparent, we have every right to complain and that doesn’t mean that you must flare-up. It is wrong for you to say that since your child refused to stay inside then he should go out and die. Up to now, I have not been able to make anything out of what the President said yesterday,” he indicated.