Lockdown: Akufo-Addo should not have gambled with the lives of Ghanaians – Haruna Iddrisu

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has said President Akufo-Addo made the ‘wrong call’ after he lifted the partial lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo “should not have taken the gamble to risk the lives of Ghanaians after he lifted the lockdown.”

The Member of Parliament for Tamale South was speaking at a press conference held by the Minority in Parliament on May 7, 2020, to express the opposition’s dissatisfaction in the manner with which the government is handling the Coronavirus pandemic.

President Akufo-Addo, on April 19, 2020, lifted a 3-week partial lockdown to restrict movements at a time the country’s Coronavirus cases had surpassed 1,000 while a number of citizens expected an extension of the order.

Defending the government’s decision, the president, during a meeting with members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) said that data on testing and contact tracing along with treatment of confirmed cases informed the decision to ease the restrictions.

Meanwhile, the current count of cases recorded has increased from 2,719 to 3,091 after 372 new infections were announced as at May 7, 2020. The total number of recoveries, according to the Ghana Health Service has risen to 303 while the death toll stands at 18.

On the back of this, the Minority said they are “deeply worried” about the increasing number of cases in the country demanding that the government must ensure a high level of transparency, safety, and accountability to citizens.

“The minority will, therefore, continue to hold government accountable,” Haruna Iddrisu concluded.