Boachipe residents reject coronavirus measures, count on gods for protection

Residents of Boachipe, a farming community in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region are of the firm belief that they are free from contracting COVID-19 because they are protected by their community gods.

According to the residents, they have consulted their gods and have followed instructions of the gods and are therefore immune and free from contracting the disease.

As a result, residents still go about their normal duties without adhering to the COVID-19 protocols.

The residents made this known when a volunteer of People for Health (P4H), a non-governmental organization in health in the Central Gonja District, Mbamba Mark Osman and his team, visited the community to educate them on the COVID 19 safety measures.

All efforts made by the team to educate members of the community proved futile as they refused to listen to them.

They claimed that they have adhered to the directives of their gods and would never disobey it.

According to them, they have the biggest and most potent shrine that has never let them down and therefore will protect them against the virus.

When the team tried convincing the elders and opinion leaders of the community, they reaffirmed the position of the community saying that “the gods have assured us that the virus would not get into the community”.