Lifting partial lockdown ‘a serious gamble’ – Bureau of Public Safety

The Executive Director of the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw Akwada has described as a gamble, President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift the partial lockdown imposed on the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area.

He says the decision could easily erode the gains made so far in the fight against COVID-19.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Citi TV, Mr. Akwada said the decision lockdown should have remained in place a little longer to guarantee that there were no longer threats of COVID-19 in the country.

“The decision to lift the lockdown was an executive gamble. We maintain that the seven reasons adduced for the lifting of the lockdown suggest that there were no lessons drawn from the experiences of other countries. Most epidemiologists that we have interacted with have all suggested that it was premature,” he said.

He said the government’s safest bet to winning the fight against COVID-19 must be to ensure that there are no new cases and that can be achieved by ensuring restrictions in movement while enhanced tracing and testing is carried out.

He added that the government’s explanation that it has built its capacity and has expanded its health facilities, cannot guarantee it completely ridding the country of COVID-19.

“No country can be adequately prepared for a pandemic such as this.  The best way to prepare for this pandemic is to prevent it, but to say that you have expanded facilities, and built capacity and to suggest that you are ready for the pandemic is a very serious gamble,” Nana Yaw Akwada said.

Lockdown lifted

President Nana Akufo-Addo in a televised broadcast on Sunday, April 19, 2020 lifted the partial lockdown on some parts of the country which was necessitated by the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the President, the ease of restrictions was in view of the country’s ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons among others.

President Akufo-Addo in his address however, indicated that other restrictions such as the one on public gatherings are still in place.

He urged Ghanaians to wear face masks everywhere they go and strictly adhere to the various COVID-19 prevention protocols including handwashing and social distancing.

Decision not the best

There have been mixed reactions to the decision of the president to lift the restriction.

While some have suggested that the decision could spark a fresh wave of the new infections in the country, others believe it was the right thing to do especially due to the severe economic implications the decision was having on the country.

Some health experts including the former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have kicked against the decision to lift the partial lockdown at this time.

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