Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo (left) and Freddie Blay
The various political parties in the country have pledged an unflinching support to the government’s fight against the deadly Coronavirus (covid-19).
At a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House today, leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), and the National Democratic Party (NDP) took turns to express profound gratitude to the President and government for the rapid manner they’re responding to the threat posed by the pandemic.
Chief among them was the decision to close the country’s entry points; the decision to subject all arrivals just before the ban on inbound flights to cmandatory quarantine and the establishment of Government’s Corona Virus Response Programme and the Covid-19 Trust Fund.
National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo commended the efforts so far.
“We could not agree with you the more that the pandemic has no political correlation and that as a nation we should come together to put our shoulders to the wheel to assist the efforts government was making to help fight and defeat the pandemic”, he said.
He however stressed the need for a decentralisation of the response programme from the national, through the regional and district levels.
Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo and the NDC took the opportunity to present a paper to the President and government which they said details their suggestions on how to deal with the virus and advised that if possible government should engage the services of the nation’s teachers who are currently at home to help in education on the pandemic.
Together with him were two members of the NDCs Technical Team for Coronavirus: former Chief of Staff and later Minister for the Interior, Prosper Bani and Dr Jehu Appiah.
National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay who attended the meeting with General Secretary, John Boadu commended the President’s decisive nature of dealing with the pandemic which has caught the attention of the world.
He therefore urged his colleague politicians to rally behind the President in the fight to save the economy from effects of the virus.
Nduom’s Ambulances
The 2016 Vice Presidential Candidate of the PPP, Bridget Dzorgbenuku while commending government, indicated the desire of the party’s Presidential Candidate in the 2016 elections, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom’s willingness to give out seven ambulances which he said were in customs bonded warehouse for the use of government to help fight the virus.
Considering the fact that the coronavirus knows no political colouration, she noted with emphasis “we should take off our competitive blinders and put on our compassionate lenses.”
Together with her was party General Secretary, Murtala Mohammed and William Duworpkor, a vice chairman.
PNC 2916 Presidential Candidate and Ambassador-At-Large, Dr Edward Nasigri Mahama expressed concern about the limited number of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for those in frontline of the fight against the pandemic.
He however stressed the need for health workers and the state not to lose sight of giving care and attention to the treatment of other ailments such as stroke, hypertension and even common colds and flu in these trying times, while calling for all hands on deck.
Together with him was the party’s Chairman, Bernard Mornah and another executive.
Lockdown Extension
On his part, Presidential Candidate for the CPP in the 2016 general elections, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet whose son is still under quarantine was highly impressed about the strategies adopted by government so far.
He said it was incumbent on all political parties to help in the fight against the dreaded virus.
That, he said was because just like athletes who have trained for four years for the 2020 Olympics for it to be postponed until further notice, so can the electoral cycle be affected.
“So if we ourselves are not able to ensure that our population assist the government in preventing the spread of this virus and we end up with more community transmission and cases, then the lockdown would be in April, May, July and who knows what the future will hold,” he said.
With him was the party’s Acting General Secretary, James Kwabena Bomfeh.
Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings who is also leader of NDP, raised concerns about some security men literally taking the law into their hands and abusing citizens and stressed the need for them to be educated on the do’s and don’ts of the ‘Restrictions’ order, and said the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) appears to be sleeping on the job.
She equally complained bitterly about the level of filth and insanitary conditions in the country especially at the various markets.
Together with her were party General Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong and Betty Akufo Boateng.
President Akufo-Addo could not but thanked the political parties for their inputs and expressed the hope they would all put hands on deck to help fight the coronavirus.
He was hopeful that together, the fight against the virus could be won.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent