NDC Expresses Vindication Over Government’s Decision To Include Traditional Leaders In Covid-19 Fight

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The leadership of the National Democratic Congress led by National Chairman HON Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and 2020 Flagbearer, John Dramami Mahama have on many occasions call on government to include Traditional authorities into decision making and consultations in the fight against the novel coronavirus in the country.

The preposition by the NDC further ignited widespread debates amongst social commentators, as well as Governance experts, who incessantly advised the Akufo Addo led administration to integrate opinion leaders into the covid 19 taskforce.

Though persistence calls on government seem to have fallen to deaf ears, government on Tuesday announced through the Minister for chieftancy affairs that, it has made room for local authorities to be abreast with happenings and modalities regarding the journey to combat the pandemic in Ghana, and also seek their inputs on the way forward to stem the coronavirus.

The statement by the sector Minister, Samuel Kofi Djamesi, at a Presser in the Information Ministry over the weekly updates of covid 19, according to some scribes in the NDC justifies the party’s proactive approach and resolutions against the fight of the coronavirus, which they made to government during previous national dialogues on the coronavirus.

HON. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, had suggested earlier to President Nana Addo, about the involvement of chiefs, opinion leaders, as well as district Assemblies, to government since leadership and custodians of land have control over their subjects in such regards. Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo argued moreso, that the surest bet to sentitize the local folks is through the use and tacit involvement of either the chiefs or the district Assemblies, who constantly liaise with the people on the ground.

Meanwhile, some stalwarts in the NDC have express vindication over their initial admonishment to President Nana Addo to include chiefs and overlords into the covid 19 taskforce, which they have finally heeded.

Government have received a Barrage of criticisms over the dormancy of state-owned institutions, which are mandated and resourced to carry out outreach programmes, such as National Commission On Civic Education (NCCE) , The Information Services Department (ISD) as well as the non activeness of certain information and communication wings of government over failure to educate towns, villages and urban locations in the fight of the novel virus respectively.

This is because though government has been lauded, and commended for fast – tracking restrictive measures to curb the pandemic, many people have also remark that the surveillances adopted by the President appears to be discriminatory, since it favors politicians instead of targeting the technical persons on the ground.

Similarly, the NDC said they welcome any move by government, which is geared towards working -hand -in – hand with the traditional rulers to ensure that Ghanaians effectively subdued the novel coronavirus.

The former President, John Dramami Mahama during a Presentation of relief items to the less endowed persons in societies across the country reechoed on the numerous appeals to President Akufo Addo, to involve Chiefs and opinion leaders in the fight against the covid 19 pandemic.

H.E John Mahama, leader of the NDC has donated food items which is expected to feed about 20,000 households in areas earmarked as epicentres where movements of people have been curtailed as a result of the partial lockdown by government, to stop the spread of the virus.

The Ghana Health Service updated data, revealed that, Ghana has so far recorded 636 cases of coronavorus, 17 recoveries, and 8 deaths.

By: Nana Dogbe / AHOTOR news