The Council of State has called on the government to ramp up the production of face masks and make them available to the public.
Chairman of the Council, Nana Otuo Serebour, who made the request during a meeting with President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House Tuesday said, the move is necessary in order to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.
“The fact that all Council of State members are donning face masks is an indication that the wearing of face masks have become part of the regime of prevention. We have to accept that this would also mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
“As much as we appreciate the integrity and the good intentions of the trustees of the Covid-19 Trust Fund, if we could suggest having the face masks sewn in millions so that every Ghanaian could have the benefit of the face mask and wear it,” he said.
Nana Otuo Serebour wants the government to distribute the masks to Ghanaians for free but said, room should be made for those who can afford to pay to give “a token gesture of some amount as their contribution towards the fight against Covid-19.
“This will stem the spread and be a better substitute than giving food which do not get to the destination intended and whose distribution negates the principles of social distancing,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo on his part, agreed with the Council of State on the mass production of the masks saying the Ghana Health Service will soon come out with guidelines and standards for which they should be produced.
