Government has allocated one hundred million dollars as emergency funds for campaign and sensitisation programme against the deadly COVID-19, popularly known as coronavirus.
President Nana Akufo-Addo announced this Wednesday in his address to the nation while announcing enhanced measures being put in place to combat the virus.
He explained that, the money is to fund expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education.”
President Akufo-Addo noted that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been instructed to release the funds as an emergency fund as part of a national preparedness plan to combat the deadly coronavirus.
The Ministry of Information, the President said, is leading a nationwide public education campaign on preventive measures that all Ghanaians must observe to ensure the control of the spread of infections, should the country record any infections.
“The Ministry of Information is leading a nationwide public campaign on preventive measures and we must all observed to ensure that we are able to control the spread of infections should we record any in the country” he added.
President Akufo-Addo appealed to civil society organisations, schools, universities, faith-based organisations and places, which harbour large gatherings, such as classrooms, lecture halls, meetings, parties and funerals, to put in place mechanisms to caution and assist patrons on basic preventive measures.
Whilst urging Ghanaians to continue to observe the basic preventive behaviour, i.e. washing our hands regularly, using alcohol-based sanitisers, stopping shaking hands, and avoiding unnecessary close body contact, he stated that “Government is analysing the potential impact to our economy of the virus, and will trigger the relevant response to minimise it.”
Touching on the production of the logistics required to prevent and combat the virus, the President revealed that Government has begun to engage with the domestic pharmaceutical industry to assist in this regard.
“Indeed, we must take advantage of this crisis to strengthen our domestic productive capacity, so we can advance our self-reliance, and reduce our dependence on foreign imports. Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo extended his appreciation to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and friends of Ghana for the assistance they have, so far, provided, and for the pledges made in support of Ghana’s fight against the virus.
“We shall continue to work with them to defeat the spread of the virus. I am confident that, together, with all hands on deck, we will be successful in weathering this storm,” he added.
