Are we choosing inconvenience over prevention of death - Pratt calls for total lockdown

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. is making a subtle call for a total lockdown of Ghana in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kwesi Pratt expressed deep worry over the implementation of the partial lockdown announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo saying though it is laudable, it doesn’t help much to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.

To him, the partial lockdown defeats the very purpose for which it is decreed by the President because there are still many people wandering about in town.

He pointed out that looking at the rapid spread of the virus and its fatality ratio, it is prudent the President causes more inconveniences for Ghanaians.

" . . 152 confirmed cases of the virus infection in Ghana is enough proof that the country is already in a critical situation and needs urgent solutions," he added.

Expressing his fright over the possibility that the number of cases might increase exponentially, Mr. Pratt told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s 'Kokrokoo' that Ghana has only two alternatives in the wake of the Covid-19.

The alternatives, he stated, are either to inconvenience people or to stop death but the latter is of more importance than the former.

To him, the only option to inconveniencing Ghanaians is death and there cannot be any middle way.

“The argument that people will be inconvenienced and so on. It is a bad argument because we have two choices; to inconvenience people or to stop death. So, you inconvenience and you stop death . . . We need to inconvenience people a lot more than we’re doing now because the alternative is death’’.

He feared less stricter rules by President Nana Akufo-Addo might result in a huge count of deaths.

“The coronavirus has no legs. It has no car. It has no independent means of mobility. It’s only means of mobility is human beings. So, if you want to stop it, you stop human beings from moving. There’s no alternative to that . . . "we have two clear choices. To inconvenience people or to stop death. Which are we choosing? Are we choosing inconvenience over the prevention of death?’’ he questioned.

Though he admits a lot of Ghanaians are already inconvenienced under the partial lockdown, “we need more inconvenience’’.

Listen to his submission in the video below