Coronavirus: Akufo-Addo refused to listen to 'common sense' - Akandoh

Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaboso Constituency, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, says the current social intervention measures being carried out by the Akufo-Addo government could have been avoided if the President had listened to “common sense” to close the borders, airport and enforce mandatory quarantine at the early stages of the pandemic.

According to him, even though President Akufo-Addo's interventions are commendable, it is disappointing to note that the President could not find wisdom earlier in the views shared by the Minority on some of the measures that the former is implementing now.

“Sometimes, I would have wished that you playback some of the recorded interviews I have done with you because, to be honest, as human as I am, at some point in time I feel disappointed and I ask myself does this Akufo-Addo government know that wisdom cannot be found in only one person and in governance, other sensible views and opinions must be considered?” he wondered.

“...the government has rolled out certain mitigating policies...but I believe that if the government had earlier taken into consideration and implemented some of the initiatives prescribed by the opposition and others, some of the things the government is doing now would not have been necessary,” he added.

He accused the current administration of being too set in their ways and opposed to divergent views.

“When you draw the attention of the government to some of the happenings, Akufo-Addo does not listen. Inasmuch as I was among those who agitated for the government to bring back Ghanaian students in China, it is also on record that I also told the government to close the airport and if even they cannot close it, then they should ensure that all travellers through the airport are quarantined. I cited the President as an example that he and his entourage should be quarantined when they came back from Norway,” he said.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the Ranking Member on Parliamentary Health Committee dismissed suggestions that he was prophetic in his pronouncement, pointing out that he only spoke with a practiced eye.

“...this has nothing to do with prophecy if the government later implemented my suggestion to do mandatory quarantine, it simply means as my father used to say that every wise person becomes a witch because whatever they say comes to pass in the future. We have been doing this work for far too long and so sometimes it is all about experience and nothing else...

"...the President failed to heed to good counsel and allowed the virus to ravage the country after crossing our borders...

“...that is what is causing the community to spread. The cases recorded at the quarantine centres, even if it is over 1,000, I wouldn't have any problem with it because then, it will not be in the community. Therefore it is painful that the President sat aloof, refused to listen to our advice and failed to put the proper measures in place at that appropriate time,” he opined.