The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has submitted a document detailing economic implications of a lockdown to President Nana Akufo-Addo This is the latest development as the Government and key stakeholders are considering additional measures to limit the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID) that is currently sweeping the world and having severe impact on all business activities.
This follows President Akufo-Addo’s assertion that it is imperative that government considers the various implications on all forms of a lockdown taking into account the concerns, conditions of the working class and the ordinary people since they are the most to be affected.
Consequently, government has been weighing the economic and social cost of a lockdown that would impose severe restrictions on movement of people to limit the spreads of COVID-19.
As the disease continues to wreak havoc on countries, some nations have restricted their respective people on various forms of lockdown.
Countries such as Italy, China, India, Poland, and United Kingdom among others have implemented most restricted mass quarantines.
Consideration of new measures has become necessary as Ghana’s COVID-19 confirmed cases, both imported and community infections continue to surge. Stakeholders are making particular demands for government to institute optimal measures in the transport sector, stating that the risk of contracting the disease in public vehicles is extremely high.
When the President, Nana Akufo-Addo met the leadership of Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Accra last Thursday, he noted that focusing on the importation of the virus and infections has proven to be spot on and has yielded some benefits.
“But we can never stop there. We have to constantly look whatever additional measures that will put us in a strong place to deal with it”, the President, said.
Indeed, one of the new measures government has since been reviewing through engagement with stakeholders is whether to impose a lockdown on the areas affected being Accra, Tema and Kumasi or institute a national lockdown as some countries have done.
