The Communications Director of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Sammy Gyamfi has described the decision by President Akufo-Addo to lift the lockdown on Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi despite the increase in coronavirus cases in Ghana is political.

He said the move aims at allowing the Electoral Commission (EC) compile a new voter’s register for the December poll.

“It is clearly politically- motivated decision, calculated to allow the EC the space to undertake its entranced and illogical determination to compile a new voter’s register for the 2020 General Elections and nothing more”, he stated
President Akufo-Addo announced the lifting of the 3-week lockdown on the aforementioned cities with effect from Monday, April 20.

He made the announcement when he addressing the Nation on Sunday, April 19, 2020 on the latest development in the bid to curtail the spread of the COVID 19 in the county.

Reacting to the President’s announcement on his on Facebook wall, Mr Gyamfi said the president’s decision is to place political expediency ahead of Public safety.

He further questioned the basis for the lockdown in the first place, “Either than that, why will President Akufo-Addo impose a partial lockdown with the objective of halting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, at a time we had only recorded 137 cases across just four (4) regions of the country and with 5 deaths, but turn around to lift the partial lockdown, at a time our positive case count has galloped to 1,042, across ten (10) regions and with nine (9) deaths?, ” he wrote in a statement on Facebook.

He added that countries with far lower cases have not lifted or relaxed their lockdown restrictions. “Yet, we who are currently the country with the highest COVID-19 cases in West Africa, have against expert advice, lifted our partial lockdown. Doesn’t this defy science and commonsense?

He stressed that the President’s decision is a reckless political gamble that portends great danger for this nation.
“President Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift the lockdown at this crucial time, is a reckless political gamble that portends great danger for this nation. Ghanaians must never forgive him if this unimaginable decision exacerbates our COVID-19 situation. The blame for any fatality that is occasioned by this reckless decision must lie squarely with the President” he said.

FULL STATEMENT 
LIFTING OF PARTIAL LOCKDOWN BY PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO; A CHOICE OF POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY OVER PUBLIC SAFTEY.

The lifting of the partial lockdown by President Akufo-Addo, at a time the country is witnessing astronomical increases in positive COVID-19 cases, particularly horizontal infections, is totally premature and lacks scientific basis.

It is clearly a politically-motivated decision, calculated to allow the EC the space to undertake its entrenched and illogical determination to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 general elections and nothing more.

Either than that, why will President Akufo-Addo impose a partial lockdown with the objective of halting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, at a time we had only recorded 137 cases across just four (4) regions of the country and with 5 deaths, but turn around to lift the partial lockdown, at a time our positive case count has galloped to 1,042, across ten (10) regions and with nine (9) deaths?

Countries with far lower cases have not lifted or relaxed their lockdown restrictions. Yet, we who are currently the country with the highest COVID-19 cases in West Africa, have against expert advice, lifted our partial lockdown. Doesn’t this defy science and commonsense?

President Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift the lockdown at this crucial time, is a reckless political gamble that portends great danger for this nation. Ghanaians must never forgive him if this unimaginable decision exacerbates our COVID-19 situation. The blame for any fatality that is occasioned by this reckless decision must lie squarely with the President.

What the President has essentially done, is to place political expediency ahead of Public safety. And what that shows, is that human lives don’t matter to President Akufo-Addo.

May God be our help.

SAMMY GYAMFI Esq.

Source: Graphic.com.gh