President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says final year students of junior high school (JHS) and senior high school (SHS) have completed their final examinations unscathed despite the “fears and genuine anxiety” expressed by some Ghanaians and the criticisms by others in the political space.
The so-called Covid-19 technical team formed by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) chastised the government for asking schools to be reopened for final year students to sit for their examinations and demanded immediate shutdown of the schools to prevent students from contracting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In a statement, the NDC Covid-19 technical team, led by Prosper Bani, stated that cases were spreading among students and called on the government to ‘value the lives’ of the students by reversing the decision to reopen schools.
But during his 17th Covid-19 address last Sunday, President Akufo-Addo said a total of 531,674 JHS students completed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on Friday, September 18, without any harm.
According to him, SHS 3 students also, on September 5, wrote the last paper of the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
“I am particularly excited at this development because, despite the fears and genuine anxiety expressed by some, and the criticisms proffered by some in the political space, these students have gone to school, studied, sat and completed their examinations unscathed,” he stated.
“Their forward march in life has also not been interrupted. And by the grace of God, the predictions made by some of the widespread infections and even deaths did not materialize,” he jabbed.
“I pledged I would be the last person to put the lives of students at risk,” he reiterated and expressed his deep appreciation to all parents and guardians for the trust reposed in him and the government, while he prayed for the success of the students in their exams.
Face mask
The President also extended, by Executive Instrument, the mandatory wearing of face masks by another three months beginning from Monday, September 21, 2020, until December 14, 2020, adding that “the wearing of masks remains mandatory.”
He indicated that the law enforcement agencies would be required to ensure that “this directive is respected by all. It has served us well in the fight against Covid-19, so I urge each and every one of us to wear our masks, and do so correctly anytime we leave our homes. It is the new normal requirement of our daily existence until the virus disappears.”
Long Way
He noted that Ghana had come a long way and made significant progress in combating the disease and pointed out that “the angst, fear and panic exhibited by many, especially when the first two cases were recorded on our shores, have been replaced, in recent weeks, by a growing sense of optimism and renewed hope” that the country is on its way to winning the battle against the pandemic.
“The improvement in the situation is all thanks to the effectiveness of the measures put in place by government, the cooperation and support of you, the Ghanaian people, and, most certainly, by the grace of Almighty God,” he said, adding “when I delivered Update No. 16, exactly three weeks ago, the number of recorded active cases, that is persons with the virus, stood at 1,847.”
“This number, as of Friday, 18th September 2020, has reduced considerably to 507 persons,” he disclosed and continued that there are, currently, some regions in the country without active cases. Greater Accra, Eastern, Ashanti and Central Regions account for some eighty per cent (80%) of the active cases.
President Akufo-Addo asserted that so far, a total of 45,258 persons had recovered, and 297 persons, a great majority of them with underlying illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic liver disease and asthma, had sadly died.
“In the face of these encouraging statistics, I know there are many who are wondering why I have not announced a complete return to normalcy in all aspects of national life, because they believe the figures suggest we have turned the tide in the fight against the virus.
“Presently, there are only 20 severe and critical cases. Indeed, there are a lot of empty beds in our treatment centres and the isolation centres have virtually no patients under care,” he stated.
No Complacency
According to him, although the health authorities appear to be working hard to stem the tide, “there is the need not to throw caution to the wind and destroy the incredible amount of work undertaken by government, health officials, heroic frontline health workers, and members of the security agencies, in bringing us this far.”
“Now more than ever, we must be even more disciplined in our adherence to personal hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing measures that have become part of our daily routines. That is the way to eliminate the virus altogether,” he argued, adding “the experience in other parts of the world shows us that the virus can return with a vengeance, once you let your guard down.”
KIA Arrivals
The President revealed that 16 out of the 23 airlines that operated in Kotoka International Airport (KIA) prior to its closure had, again, commenced flights to and from Accra, and that as of last Saturday, 19th September, a total of 10,061 passengers have undergone the PCR test at the airport with 26 positive cases recorded.
By Ernest Kofi Adu