While some Ghanaians have lauded the president's directive on public gatherings due to the recent increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the country, the opposition party, National Democratic Congress thinks otherwise.
According to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the NDC, the real intention of the ban on public gatherings by the president is to rig the 2020 elections.
"This whole announcement of emergency ban, emergency here, stopping this gathering, stopping that gathering, in my view, on the surface, it will appear to the world that the president is acting to deal with the COVID-19 and so on.
But the real intention is not to deal with COVID-19 at all. The real intention is to find space to put the pieces of the rigging equipments together. So that by the time anybody could say jack, the election has been compromised," he said in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced some bold directives as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The President placed a ban on church-related activities, mosques prayers, and all other public gatherings exceeding 25 persons. That was during his second address to the nation on the Coronavirus update.
He also directed airlines to stop bringing in travellers from countries that have recorded over 200 cases of coronavirus effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Social media reaction to Asiedu Nketiah's comment
Social media users are divided over the comments made by the NDC Secretary. According to some, politicizing such a deadly issue is below the belt and uncalled for.
"This man paaaa.....you still don't have a clue on what has engulfed the world.? You're thinking about the way to your stomach. When issues if life and death are being dealt with, you're thinking about the election as if you have not enjoyed enough. Let's be serious, Johnson Nketia," one Dela Clinton wrote on Facebook.
Another user with the name Alppha Khristlyk also wrote "I do support the part that the registration must halt, but with the issue of election rigging being the rationale behind this emergency pronouncement? Oh, come on Mr Secretary, that cheap politics and propaganda."
"How on earth can you politicize the issue on ground. Are you thinking at all? Or you think it's all about you and NDC. Do you listen to yourself? Are you aware most hit countries have initiated self-quarantine measures by asking citizens to stay at home, companies have also instructed staff to work from home.? Please for once think about the well being of people that vote you guys into power," Adebayor Kunah questioned.
Ghana Immigration Service returns over 200 travellers
Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCGI) in-charge of Command Post and Operations, Laud Kwesi Affrifah at a press briefing yesterday revealed that his outfit together with the Kotoka International Airport authorities refused about 200 foreign nationals entry into the country as part of measures to curb a spread of COVID-19 in Ghana.
“Over 200 people have been turned back. Only those with resident permits are being allowed in," he said.
Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, National Democratic Congress