Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will be the first to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the Ashanti Region ahead of a mass vaccination from Tuesday, March 2, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang has said.

According to Dr Tenkorang, “the move is to instill assurance into residents of Asanteman and Ghanaians at large that the vaccines are safe” so as to encourage the entire populace to avail themselves of the national immunization.

Ashanti Region is set to receive 150,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to be administered in 16 districts ahead of vaccination.

Speaking on Akoma FM‘s morning show GhanAkoma on Monday, March 1, Dr Tenkorang explained that “among major personalities such as regional minister, frontliners in the health ministry and security agencies in the Region, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will take the lead in the region’s vaccination”.

Ghana received its first tranche of 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine on Wednesday, February 24.

On Monday, March 1, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo as well as Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the Second Lady, Samira, took the vaccine shots to encourage the general public on the need to be vaccinated.

They also proved the safety of the vaccine in order to discount doubts expressed by a segment of the public.

According to the Ghana Health Service, Ghana’s total cases stand at 84,023 with 607 deaths and 77,972 recoveries as of Friday, February 26.