The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has lifted restrictions imposed on the movement of persons within some parts of Greater Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi.
President Akufo-Addo indicates that this decision is to give government the opportunity to try to contain the spread of the virus, scale-up effectively the tracing of persons who had come into contact with infected persons, test them for the virus, and quarantine those who tested positive and isolate them for treatment.
This was announced by President Akufo-Addo during his live televised address to the nation, on Sunday, April 19, 2020.
This came as a reprieve to the many whose livelihoods may have been hit hard following the imposition .Despite the lifting of the restrictions access to some major sectors remains restricted.
Four major cities, Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa, had been placed under a three-week lockdown purposely to hold the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.
President Akufo-Addo stated in his last address that, the initial two-week restrictions imposed on these areas saw a further seven days extension as the nation waited for test results from some 14,000 samples taken.
Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Ghana’s borders will remain closed. The ban on social gatherings of not more than 25 persons is also still in place.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo observed that “lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down.”
“I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures,” he stressed.