Ambassadors' take: Wuhan, 76 days after lockdown

Global Media Alliance Broadcasting Company (GMABC), through its two subsidiaries, Happy FM and e.TV Ghana, engaged H.E Amb. Edward Boateng, Ghana’s Ambassador to China and H.E Amb. Shi Ting Wang, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, in a conversation to unearth and understand the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the two (2) countries.

The dialogue was held on 7th April 2020 under the theme: Wuhan, 76 days after Lockdown, and this saw the two Ambassadors give a riveting account of the Coronavirus outbreak in China and the subsequent lockdown in China, Ghana and China bilateral ties, the state of Wuhan after the lockdown and what the world can learn from the pandemic among others.

H.E Amb. Boateng in his comment commended the President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo for tackling the pandemic the same way China did.

"President Akufo-Addo is on the same trajectory that saved China. He has been firm and clear with his communication, and if we as Ghanaians keep listening to the directives of the President, we will conquer the pandemic quickly.

The mad rush by some leaders to extradite their people out of China has contributed to the spread. The virus could’ve been contained, and if we had all stayed put in china. It was fortunate the President told us to remain in China and that saved us a lot. If world leaders had taken his approach, we wouldn’t have a global pandemic on our laps now”, he noted.

Amb. H.E Shi Ting Wang on his part assured that Ghanaian students scholarship grants from China will remain intact.

"If the pandemic ends now, our agreement with the students will continue. If the pandemic continues it will affect the reopening of schools, some universities are opening gradually. The university of Beijing hasn’t reopened yet, so it will delay admissions, but the number of scholarships remain the same. Once we have offered you the scholarship it is yours", he said.

He also spoke about Ghana’s sixty (60) years diplomatic relationship with China, which he says is currently the best in history.

"The relationship between our two (2) countries is at its best. China is the number one (1) trade partners of Ghana. We are also number one (1) in human resource training partners of Ghana. We are committed to Ghana’s development. With these evidences you can see why our relationship is the best", he stated.

The Chief Director of Global Media Alliance Group (GMA), Emma Wenani, speaking about the reasons for organising the dialogue said:

"There are many negative stories in the media at the moment, but the virus has also spurred acts of kindness around the world and that is what we want Ghana and the world to see; the positives not just the gloomy picture.

If you follow our activities within this period on our news portals we have all the updates about the infections, recoveries and deaths. We bring you the news but we also bring you hope to see the bright side, that is why we organised the dialogue. The once epicentre of coronavirus, Wuhan is now opening up and the same will be replicated across the globe and humanity will conquer this virus".

The dialogue which was aired on Happy FM and e.TV Ghana was moderated by Samuel Eshun and Fati Shaibu-Ali both hosts of Happy Morning Show (HMS) on Happy 98.9 FM.