Coronavirus: Kumasi residents express mixed reactions about Akufo-Addo’s 10th address

Residents in the Kumasi metropolis have expressed mixed reactions over the partial easing of some restrictions imposed by the government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While they are very happy about the reopening of schools for final year students to prepare for their final examinations, they are not in agreement with the President for the opening of churches and mosques.

Mr Osei Kusi, a businessman in Adum, told the Ghana News Agency that, the opening of the churches could further escalate the spread of the virus.

He explained that it would be very difficult for church members to maintain social distancing, especially during singing and dancing in a church.

Mr. Kusi said the probability of an infected person passing the virus in the church was very high and wondered why the rush for the reopening of churches.

“You can be in your house and worship God, we have not been in Church getting to two months, and nothing has happened, so why are we in a rush to go to church at this time when the cases keep on rising every day”, he quipped.

Madam Mavis Opoku, a trader who spoke with the Ghana News Agency team, pointed out that, “out of fear and panic, people won’t even come to church because they might think they will get infected by the coronavirus”.

She said the President should have allowed only the final year students to go back to school to prepare for their final exams, rather than lifting the ban on churches and mosques.

Other residents were also worried about the foreign students who left the country when schools were closed, to their various countries before the closure of the borders.

Mr Mark Obeng, a trader at the Kumasi Central market questioned how the final year foreign students would be able to return to school.

“Right now, that the borders are closed, how will the foreign students get into the country whiles the country’s borders are still closed”, he asked

He stressed the need for the government to come out clear of how the foreign students would get into the country and how they would be able to take care of themselves in the midst of the virus.