President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said although the partial lockdown of some parts of the country has been lifted, government will closely monitor events in some hotspots in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions to prevent a spread of the Coronavirus.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, Apri 19, 2020, the President said the government will lockdown any community in which the virus is identified as becoming prevalent.
“It is important to stress strongly that coming out of the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi does not mean we are out of the pandemic. We will continue to monitor closely events in some hotspots in the Greater Accra. Metropolitan Area like Weija Gbawe, Ga East, and Ayawaso East Municipalities, and Tema Metropolis, and in the Eastern Region, like Asuoygaman and Lower Manya Krobo Districts.
“Whenever the situation so warrants, a community in which the virus is identified as becoming prevalent will be locked-down, until there is a clear understanding of the trajectory of the virus that will allow us to contain it,” he said.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced the lifting of the partial lockdown on some parts of the country which was necessitated by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The President explained that the country’s ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, enhancement of Ghana’s capacity to test for COVID-19 as well as the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable were some of the decisions considered before the lockdown as suspended.
This makes Ghana one of the first countries worldwide to ease restrictions on movement during the pandemic.
Addressing the nation in a televised broadcast, the President said the lockdown will be lifted from 1 am on Monday, April 20.
Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa, had been under a partial lockdown for the three weeks in which period Ghana’s coronavirus cases have risen to 1,042.
Prior to the lockdown only four regions had recorded cases of COVID-19. So far 10 out of the 16 regions have been hit by the virus.
In this period most of 68,591 contacts traced have been tested, according to President Akufo-Addo.
“Indeed, Ghana is the only other country in Africa to have conducted more than 60,000 tests, and we are ranked number one in Africa in administering of tests per one million people,” he affirmed.
The President said the ease of restrictions was “in view of our ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, ” among others.
He also cited the enhancement of testing capacity, increased local production of PPE and “the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable.”
Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Ghana’s borders will remain closed.
The ban on social gatherings of more than 25 persons is also still in place.
President Nana Akufo-Addo stressed that “lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down.”
“I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures,” he added.
