Director: Damak Sanitation Urged Public to Observe Covid-19 Safety protocols as they celebrate Xmas

Your Health, We CarDirector: Damak Sanitation Urged Public to Observe Covid-19 Safety protocols as they celebrate Xmas

BENJAMIN BANANAS ASALIMBA Health 0

 In our quest to celebrate the Christmas, the Director of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, Mr. Daniel Mbabugri  Akgri has admonished the public to observe the safety protocols of the novel coronavirus since the virus is still not done with humanity and also do away with indiscriminate disposal of waste during the Xmas.

As we celebrate yet another season of greetings and Thanksgiving according to the Christian Calendar of 25th December, it’s our core believe that the historic calendar is to remember the death of Christ and ask for his mercy forgiveness.

And to take a stock of your lives over the year to whether  expectations were met or not, and to re-strategies yurself .

 

However, Damak Sanitation Watch and Health wish to use this Yuletide to express our profound gratitude to our readers, sponsors both international and national especially the family of Directhelp Support Project, Mr. Pierre P. Petitjean, workers of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, and to the media who were the enterprising force of our activities ensuring that the world gives attention to us…we say thank you all.

 

Mr. Daniel Mbabugri Akgri believed the tremendous milestone wouldn’t have been achieved without the efforts and support of the above-mentioned bodies. ” we will continue to work with you as we started in the years ahead of us”.

 

He thus urged and wished all and sundry happy Christmas and affluent new year, tasking each and every one to focus on new goals and put the past behind.

He went further to inform the public to take notice of indiscriminate disposal of waste as they observe the Christmas in a manner that would not bring an outbreak after the holidays.

#I wish you once again Happy Xmas.

 

Daniel Mbabugri Akari

Director Damak Sanitation Watch and Health

Mob: 0248998510

 

Esaase And Akom Communities Battles With Sanitation Issues…As Assemblyman Intensifies Efforts To Fix Situation.

BENJAMIN BANANAS ASALIMBA Health 0

 

Esaase And

Residents of Esaase and Akom communities under Denase Eletoral Area in the Afigya Kwabre East Distract are in battle with sanitation issues but the Assembly man of the area has intensified efforts to confront the situation before it get out of control.
The Assembly man, Mr Obed Kwarteng stressed that currently Esaase old buller has been cleared and a container to collect subsequent waste is now a problematic. However, he’s still working assiduously to resolve the Akom sanitation issue as well.

The two communities are predominantly farming communities where most of them are peasant farmers. Development in the two communities are not improve of which the Assembly man expressed worry about the nature of road network as a situation confronts farming activities.

Mr. Kwarteng told Damak Sanitation Watch and Health Team when they visited the two communities that earl sex and it precautions are normal even though few cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded at the time Junior High Students were about to write their finally year exams. But when the team contact some of the residents especially females in the Esaase community, the expressed worry about the conduct of young girls averred that the situation, when not handle with care will taint the image of the community. ‘Surprisingly, they say, some parents are even luring their wards to engage in an indecent dress for reasons best known to them alone’’.

That notwithstanding, Mr. Obed Kwarteng contended further that his prime objective as an assembly man, is to facilitate an excellent, united administrative work to ensure the two communities can also have a fair share of the national cake. Hence, he called on residents to conduct themselves in a manner that will not bred violence. He also urged politicians to be guarded with their campaign languages to promote peace before, during and after the December 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.

 

DAMAK SANITATION WATCH AND HEALTH DONATE CLOTHES AND FOOD TO SEVEN NEEDY CHILDREN AT NWINESO NO.1

 DAMAK SANITATION WATCH AND HEALTH DONATE CLOTHES AND FOOD TO SEVEN NEEDY CHILDREN AT NWINESO NO.1

In response to our earlier publication about a mother of 8 whose father is dead in Nwineso No. 1, a suburb of Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, the outfit- Damak Sanitation Watch and Health has donated 100 pieces of clothing, 25kg bag of rice, oil, biscuit tomato paste and sandals and registered them into the Ghana Health Insurance Scheme to unbridle the burden of Madam Martha Daakuwuah from feeding, clothing and health care cost.

Receiving the items on behalf of Madam Martha were; the chief of the community, Nana Kwame Dapaah, the assemblyman, Mr. Kwame Atinka, and unit committee chairman, Mr. Fatao Seidu.

Nana Kwame Dapaah thanked Damak Sanitation Watch and Health for the kind gesture and as the Over Twist will always ask for more, appealed to individual benevolent, non-governmental organizations to also come to the aid of other needy children whose parents are dead in the community.

Nana Kwame

Dappah, the Assemblyman and unit committee chairman jointly expressed lengthily on the community challenges as; health care, water, toilet facility and more importantly the uncompleted clinic which has started by the community elders. The clinic is at the lintel level they confirmed, when completed, will save pregnant women who lost their lives during childbirth. ''People in the community have to walk 8 miles to access health care coupled with the bad road network and appeal to civil society organizations, NGOs and other corporate bodies to help them complete the clinic to enable them to have access to health service''.

The Chief Executive Officer of Damak Sanitation Watch and health, Mr. Daniel Mbabugri Akgri thanked the sponsors of the project…Ruth Petitjean-Plattner, an author and columnist from Switzerland for the love and concern she shown to Madam Martha and her children and the entire community. Added, the concerns and problems of needy children living in deprived communities as well as health, sanitation and water challenges, the outfit will continue in its resolving role in our quest to support them. He however assured elders of the community that the outfit will communicate with our sponsors about their challenges especially the community water system and the uncompleted clinic projects. He advised Madam Martha as a matter of health precautions, and to take good care of the children.

GOV'T SHOULD NOT BE ADAMANT ON HEALTH TRAINEE STUDENTS

 DAMAK SANITATION WATCH & HEALTH

PRESS RELEASE

GOV'T SHOULD NOT BE ADAMANT ON HEALTH TRAINEE STUDENTS

The government delay in responding to the Health Trainee students over their unpaid three years allowances is a daring path to implicate health implications in the country in future. The trainee students in all the hygiene health institutions across the country besieged the Health Ministry barley three weeks ago demanding their thirty months allowances met with a twist and turn response from the Ministry, is a situation that may ensue future setbacks.

The situation is deeply affecting academic work since 2017; their allowances are still locked in the coffers of the ministry for reasons best known to them alone.

Government has released a whopping sum of Ghc232 million to be disbursed to all Allied Hygiene Health Training Institutions. And out of the Ghc232 million, each student is supposed to be given Ghc12, 000 for the 30-months accumulated arrears. According to sources, Ghc232 million is said to be released annually to these institutions.

The outfit of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health has since over the years worked closely toward ensuring that health-related issues are properly addressed thus, deem it a privilege considering our track record to add our candy voice to the matter by drawing the attention of the government and the Ministry of Health, and the Sanitation Ministry that, their intention to making Ghana the cleanness city in Africa cannot be achieved without the inclusion of the Hygiene Health students. These very institutions when proper attention is not given to them, the probability of losing the fight are 80% because they represent the majority workforce in the sanitation and hygiene sector.

Having considered the level at which their allowances are being delayed, and the strange development or explanation given to them without a definite time frame for the money to be paid is raising possible questions of where is the money that has been allocated for the students.

''Government, considering the long silence over the allowance is justifiable to say that the Ghc232 million went into wrong hands or the government is possibly not going to release the money to the students''. The field these students have chosen is critical to national development and their concerns and grievances should be apprehended by the government.

A nation that commits enough resources into health institutions is building a vibrant and healthy economy. However, we want to use this medium to prompt the government that its efforts to make the nation clean and green, should cogently rest on their shoulders financially. People who are being appointed to occupy such positions seem to be disappointing the president and its time the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to wake up from his slumber and efficiently enforce the laws on his officials to work for the betterment of Mother Ghana.

 Signed......

Chief Executive Officer

Damak Sanitation Watch and Health

Mr. Akgri Daniel Mbabugri

Tel:0248998510

KUKUA AKETEBO RESIDENTS SHARE STREAM WATER WITH ANIMALS

 

 

Residents of Kukua Aketebo in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern Region have expressed worries over the lack of portable drinking water in the area. The problem according to residents has compelled them to compete with animals in a stream river as a livelihood source of water.

 

The situation to some larger extent has brought health implications to residents in the community. It's so insulting that a community of municipal status; people still resort to stream water as their source of survival.

 

''We have been using the stream water with the animals for decades now because we use the stream water to drink, cook, and wash among other house duties because we have no choice''. They lamented.

It is sad to note that human beings still struggle to have access to potable water in this era of Covid-19 pandemic when water is pivotal in the fight of the novel COVID-19.

Some of the residents registered their grievances with the Damak Sanitation Watch and Health in the community appealing to the government of Ghana and non-governmental organizations to come to their aid by providing them with portable drinking water.

 

The situation is so albatross that the assemblyman of the community, John Addo Benkoe said to have done nothing. He contended that it's  affecting the community where health risks are so high because the stream water is daily populated by the animals and this has to be a problem confronting the development of the community. Hence, he appealed passionately to the government, the Member of Parliament for the area and the Municipal Chief Executive to provide a drilling borehole to help reduce health challenges among residents.

Speaking to DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health when the team visited the community, John Addo Benkoe the assemblyman revealed that they have not benefited from any COVID-19 support when the government was distributing the Covid-19 incentives including the free water supply by president Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo during the lockdown period.

 

Having considered the magnitude and trauma residents went through, we (DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health deem it a privilege to use this opportunity on behalf of the people of the Kukua community appealing to the government of Ghana, NGO's, MP for Suhum constituency, Hon. Frederick Opare Ansah and the Suhum municipal chief executive officer Margaret Darko stepped into the matter to provide potable water to the community.

 

 

SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION TASKFORCE INAUGURATED

 The Chief Executive officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi has officially inaugurates a team of sanitation personnel called “Clean and Green Team” formed by assemblymen and members of the various unit committees of Subin sub-metro to sort solutions to the day to day sanitation challenges within the community and beyond.

Subin sub-metro is said to be the first to institute a sanitation team among the ten sub-metros within the Kumasi Metropolis. The purpose of the formation of the environmental sanitation team is to complement KMA’s efforts as in curbing and keeping the Metropolis Clean and Green.

Persons (assembly members, unit committee members, and self-giving individuals) constituting the team are from the existing nine electoral areas in the sub-metro and will be performing in collaboration with the respective Town councils and unit committees under the supervision of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the assembly.

Their role is to clean all streets within the sub-metro and promote the greening of all areas so as to help restore the lost glory “Garden City” of Kumasi.The team during the inauguration was equipped with adequate number of logistics in the likes of rakes, wheelbarrows, shovel, gloves, protective clothing and boots among others.

Addressing the occasion, the Mayor for the Metropolis, Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi underscored how inability the assembly has been towards ensuring that all the needed policies are effected to improve upon the sanitary condition of the city. According to Mr. Osei Assibbey, the assembly is seeking logistic supports from cooperate bodies and institutions such as MTN, Zoomlion, Stanbic Bank, VIP, NIB plus a host of Non-Governmental Organisations since the implementation of the “Operation Keep Kumasi Clean and Green” policy.

The mayor who is much inclined to investment said he is committed towards making the Metropolis attractive to foreign investors and tourists owing to the fact that they (tourists and foreign investors) consider the sanitary condition of every country before visiting to embark on an investment.

He noted that the number of tourists that visit the Metropolis on daily basis he underlined gives credence to the fact that the city under his watch is witnessing an improved sanitary condition.

He urged the team to give out their best and report individuals sighted disposing refuse at unapproved areas for the necessary disciplinary action.

DAMAK sanitation watch and health on this note is appealing on the chief executive officer of the Kumasi Metropolis to provide and stationed more dustbins at all joint within the Metropolis to enhance easy disposals in order to fulfill the purpose of the " Operation Keep Kumasi Clean and Green".

By Akgri M. Daniel

Pregnant Women Are Dying

''Our Pregnant Women Are Dying'' Due To Bad Road Network….Community Heads   As a result of bad roads, pregnant women including critically ill patients in Nheneso No.1 have to walk 8 miles to access health care in Trabuom all in the Atwima Kwanwoma constituency of the Ashanti Region. Through this long-distance trek, most women lose their lives during child labour.

The situation is as a result of the unmotorable nature of roads and lack of clinics or CHPS facilities to serve the interest of the community. Through this challenging situation confronting the community, pregnant women have resorted into risk methods of transport such as bicycle, tricycle, motorbikes to access health care. Many of whom also turn to traditional medicine and traditional birth attendants for maternal health services.

Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, in a follow up to a group photograph of children in the Nheneso No.1 intercepted by our outfit. In the said photograph, children were seen with bare-foot and virtually naked wearing self-designed face masks in their bid to comply with the covid-19 safety protocols. Among these children, eight of them are virtually poor, their month has to do all kinds of jobs to put food on the table for them once a day.

Their father, according to our findings, is dead and their foster-father also neglected them, of which the grown-up ones among them have to help people to eat. Through this hardship, two out of the eight are in school while the rest are ambling around the community. When the team met Opainin Kwame Dapah , head of the community, this is what he has to say; ''we are going through a very difficult situation, the living standard is very poor, pregnant women are dying anytime they are in labour due to the bad nature of the road…the chief linguist of this community died on the way to the clinic due to the long hours wasted on the way because of the deplorable condition of the road''. Nheneso No.1, he said, is a farming community. Sanitation, waste management, education, health and community development is affecting its forward development.

Residents, according to Opainin Kwame Dapah have resorted into public defecation following an old dilapidated condition toilet facility in the community. A situation, he noted, will spawn future health risk in the area and call for support from the District Assembly, non-government organisations, and individual philanthropists to enhance the growth and development of the community.

The community's biggest challenge is a good road and health facility to enable them to save the lives of their pregnant women and children. Following these core reasons, has underscored the need for policymakers, the district authorities and the government to come to their aid to enable them to eradicate illegal disposal of waste, defecation, mortality and child death.   DAMAKsanitation watch and health has made arrangements to meet the district chief executive about the situation very soon.   These picture were talking during the following up period.

Cancel The WASCE

Cancel The WASCE
And BECE Exams Now To Save The Lives Of Our Children. .Damak Sanitation Watch & Health To Gov’t The government of Ghana has suddenly failed under the pretext of lip-service approach in the fight of the novel coronavirus pandemic where the precious lives of our young girls and boys are being mischievously traded with politics.
The 'robot and go-it-alone style'' has symbolized our weakness to confront the covid-19 crisis, of which we have reflected our focus as a nation on politics instead of facilitating measures to curb the situation. We cannot solemnly invest the sovereignty of the country into political bigotry. In a seeming attempt to deflect from our own widely criticized handling of the pandemic…which has led to the death of over 139 Ghanaians to date, policy-makers especially health experts and civil societies including well-meaning Ghanaians have a duty to play in the fight of  the pandemic. The gradually wide spread  of the virus in the Senior High Schools are concerns that need a holistic approach by all stakeholders. If the lack of robust leadership in the fight of covid-19 is missing, we will severely pay the price. For that core reason, the government's response to the covid-19 should be indeed thoroughly canvas for sufficient policy plans to facilitate the safety of our children in school.
If not, we will not only fail to stand up for vigorous core strategic road-map to end the spread of the virus, we will rather actualize grounds to increase it spread. We cannot pretend to adopt the adamance lifestyle and say all is well. The Health Ministry, the Education Ministry and the covid-19 team even though their best have been exhibited, we further encourage them not to put off their candles to continue ensuring that the novel coronavirus does not rest on our lives.. We reiterate the government not to allow politics to gain grounds in the health community even though it has been an undeniable fact that politics are not playing a key role in the fight of the covid-19.
The entrenched position of government officials to facilitate their parochial interest is a recipe to put the lives of students in danger. ’We cannot wait to hit by the face with increasing death tolls in our schools before taking actions’’. We therefore appealed to the president to consider the vast spread of the virus in the schools and do the blissful thing and closed down the school amidst cancelling the WASSCE and BECE.
Despite the several calls from civil organizations, political parties, the parent-teacher association, Damak Sanitation Watch and Health also conceived the same idea for the reason being that, the virus is gradually catching up with students in the schools and thought  over it closer and cancellation. Our information has it that the Ministry of Education however, claimed that experts' advice indicates that enough facilities have been provided to mitigate the spread of the virus in our schools. Thus, there is no course for alarm. However, such self-centered expert analysis has failed to arrest the situation. Barely a month since the schools reopened, close to 14 Senior High Schools are said to have been affected with the virus and out of the 14 schools, over 130 students tested covid-19 positive. That notwithstanding, another student from Gwirama Senior High School in the Western Region , Nathaniel Yankey lost his life believed to be the Covid-19.
This reveals that the signs don’t look good and the lives of our wards matters most to us. Our concerns as parents and the position of the government are unparalleled and there is no clear cut solution to address the problem in the affected schools. If the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, the Cocoa board, and the Ministry of Health are said to have been closed down due to the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, what are our children still doing in the schools? These are key legitimate questions that many parents continue  asking;
The president of the land has gone into self-isolation, the Education Minister, is self-quarantined, the Health Minister is self-quarantined at the time whose presence matters most. The safety of students and the entire country are sitting on tentacles. We want to find out whether the education experts thought of students who tested positive how they will participate in writing the exams? And even if their conditions permit them to do so, under what circumstances will their exams papers be marked. All these are pertinent questions that need answers considering their health stigma.
If we are to consider the discrete response of the Director of Election at the EC who was answering some questions in one of the radio stations, stated equivocally that people who tested positive are considered to be people who are sick and would not have time to think of registration. And if this is applicable in that context, it means that same statement applies in the students' case.
Hence the government should not offer the lives of our children for a political game and do the needful thing where it's applicable. ……….Signed………. The Chief Executive Officer Damak Sanitation Watch & Health (Mr. Akgri Mbabugri Daniel) 0248998510

Ghana's Coronavirus Case Hits 25,000 Ghana's Covid-19 cases have unexpectedly risen to 25,252 on Tuesday, 24th July, 2020 according to Ghana health service report. "The Covid-19 cases keep rising in Ghana because some people believe about the virus existents is low" DAMAKsanitation Watch and Health suggest. According to Ghana health service update report on Tuesday July 14th, 2020, 264 new infections of the Coronavirus has risen Ghana's Covid-19 cases to 25,252 as. The number of deaths count still stands at 139, while figures for recovered and discharged persons have increased to 21,391 with active cases of 3,716.
Ghana Health Service update report has it that, the Greater Accra Region remains the geographical area with the highest number of infections. The new confirmed cases in the leading Regions across the country according GHS case count is as follows: Greater Accra – 13,869 Ashanti Region – 5,277 Western Region – 2,189 Central Region – 1,110 DAMAKsanitation Watch and Health on this note is humbly urging all citizens of the republic of Ghana to adhere to the WHO Covid-19 protocols to help end the spread of the virus.
DAMAKsanitation Watch and Health: Your Health, We Care. DAMAKsanitationwatch+@gmail.com 0248998510

Coronavirus: Recklessness Will Cause Ghana Like U.S.A

Coronavirus: Recklessness Will Cause Ghana Like U.S.A
A stunning statement released by Damak Sanitation Watch and Health stated equivocally that Ghana will soon be like the United State of America where many Ghanaians will be affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic leading to more death toll in the country. The statement further explained that the country's health facilities will soon be full to uncontrollable capacity where health officials will run for cover and safety for the fear of contracting the virus.
Ghana, according to the statement, is behaving as the virus has magically vanished therefore no one cares of observing the safety protocols even government officials are blatantly violating what we all deem it a law to observe.
But Ministers and MPs are defiling the laws in the very eye of the president. The president in his expedition to control the spread of the virus has suddenly relinquished the fight of covid-19 to politics where the character of ''it's my son, my party, I cannot punish anyone but I can punish the rest of the citizens when they contradict the safety protocols''. This kind of authoritarian dictatorship is a recipe to widen the daily increase of covid-19 cases and we have started witnessing such occurrence on the 4th June 2020 when the country reordered it ever high covid-19 cases of over 700 in one day simplifies the level at which we are heading towards.
These outrageous numbers do not need any soothsayer to tell you the cause of the spreading numbers. Health officials have raised red flags of possible escalating of the virus when certain activities are allowed to take place and they were specifically concerned about the compilation of the voters' register by the Electoral Commission.
The violation of the safety protocols in the on-going voters' exercise does not look good for the country. Even when the New Patriotic Party had their parliamentary primaries it was an eyesore to watch. All these lapses are being happened in the glare of the president…innocent Ghanaians who accidentally violate the same safety protocols are languishing behind bars while politicians, MPs who constitute the laws violate the same without any punishment been meted out to them indicate how reckless, inhuman and hypocritical our leaders have become in the fight of the virus.
Mr. President, your soul-mark is to avert the spread of the virus, if indeed that's your main goal, extra punishment than the resignation of Hon. Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, Deputy minister of Trade is needed to serve as a deterrent to others and to further outline your preparedness to control the virus. ''You have allowed your-own people to undermine and violate the rules of covid-19 game, igniting public fear and panic''.
We are living in a country where our leaders value political positions more than human lives. His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, doesn't execute the lives of Ghanaians for political taste.
However, you are the hope of the people and they look up to you, if you fail, your people perish. Hence, exercise your constitutional mandate to render equal treatment to everyone irrespective of their political affiliation that comes against covid-19 laid down safety protocols.
''Note that you have been elected to serve the very interest of Ghanaians not party and do the needful thing by widening your scope of treatment to those it desires. …….Signed……..  Mr. Akgri Mbabugri CEO 0248998510 Barnabas Benjamin Asalimba Secretary 0243358644

Enact Law To Prosecute People Building On Waterways

Enact Law To Prosecute People Building On Waterways…Damak Sanitation Watch & Health

It is of no doubt that flooding in Ghana has become a perennial problem that seeks to deal with people who engineer or attribute to such occurrences characterized with utter lawlessness on the part of the citizenry.
The behaviour of Ghanaians toward confronting flooding over the years seems to depart from the deal situation. We have come to a point where we have to apply legal actions and say 'enough is enough' and enact a law to prosecute people who erect buildings in an unapproved waterway or discriminately disposed waste illegally. Rains have become a death trap for people living in slump areas and waterways in the country-anytime there is a perennial downpour due to the overload drainage systems and bad practices by inhabitants. These observations according to the Director of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, Mr. Akgri Mbabugri Daniel, Ghana by now should have learnt some key lessons from the June 3rd disaster which claimed many lives and provide enough structural provisions to confront future occurrence.
As a country aiming at transforming Ghana to the status of cleanness city in Africa, recommendations of the demolition of illegally erected buildings in water areas is a total failure and late approach by cities authorities to solve the problem of flood. The flooding situation requires a deeper stakeholder consultation to identify the chief objective to stop inhabitants from building in an unapproved waterway. But our case as a country is to wait for them to build and when there is flooding we go around and demolished, is a sign of leadership weakness and failure. The attitude, according to Mr. Mbabugri Akgri, cities authorities, engineers, Chiefs and the security apparatus must be blamed for failing to constitute concrete policies that would have to safeguard the building of houses and structures that prevent the free flow of water. The outfit has observed that there is a lack of a coordinated effort between the state governments and the traditional authorities to regulate the release of lands to people. If the government is bent on resolving flooding issues in the country, the government has to collaborate with the landholders to drive every would-be builder in unapproved water areas. It is of keen interest to note that, ending perennial flooding in the country has to do with self-commitment and the can-do spirit that we all need as a country not blame games. We have to contribute collectively especially chiefs who are the landholders should exercise their custodian rights to desist from releasing lands situated in water areas for builders.
That said, the government on it part should provide enough financial support for the waste management companies for them to employ more waste workers and logistics to ensure gutters and cities are frequently clean. If this is not seriously ironed from the angle of the chiefs and government, the forward march to end flooding will not be materialized. ''There is a saying that there are no smokes without fire'', hence our fight to end flooding should not be centered on demolishing of buildings, but stakeholder consultations with the landholders to stop releasing lands to builders. By Ben Barnes Asalemba

GHANA FLOUTING WHO CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOL

GHANA FLOUTING WHO CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOL
Ben Barnabsa Asalimba/Akgri Mbabugri Daniel
As the world intensely facilitating hard-headed measures including protocol observations to prevent the vast spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Ghana seems to be engaging in violation of the World Health Organisation covid-19 protocols by allowing some government institutions to organise public functions and such institution is the Ghana National Theatre at Accra.
This bizarrely decision or indecision by government of Ghana is given suspicion of how government stand to lose the fight to uncontrolled social-distances, wearing of protective masks and the will believe of the virus associated with the people. Substantially, a country that ultimately bent in tackling the virus would not in any diverse ways allowed concert or better still, dancing performance at the auspices of no masks and no social-distances observations indicate how reckless we are as a nation toward confronting the spread of the virus.
On Friday May 6, 2020, three groups; the Ghana National Theatre…the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Dance Company and Drama Group Abibigromma, the Dance Department of the University of Ghana (UG), the Choir of UG, Three Idiots and Young Ashes, among others organised a traditional dance and cultural performance in honour of the late Emeritus Prof. Nketia. The world even though, is in struggling times with the presents of covid-19 and such events have been restricted globally and Ghana is no exception.
Performers and dancers on the event were exposed themselves of possibly contacting or transporting the virus to others because they were not observing the social-distances or were either masked. The entire event and how it was coordinated, was a sort of exposing mostly the workers and staff of the outfit in danger. The Executive Director of the National Theatre of Ghana, Mrs Amy Appiah Frimpong, in our obsession, has thrown overboard the president and WHO directives into the gutters and allowed such event to take place questioning her integrity as head of the institution. This, according to the Executive Director of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health can say that government is gradually losing the fight of covid-19 to complacency.
That notwithstanding, hot pots regions in the country are violating all the necessary protocols raising eye brows of possible increase of cases of the covid-19.Most market places, transport station, shopping malls even government commercial buses are not observing the social distance.
‘I personally intercepted a branded government commercial bus’’, ‘’Ayalolo bus’’ in Kumasi where the bus was full to it normal capacity’’, indicate low we are trying to kowtow to the fight of the virus as a nation.
The organisation…Damak Sanitation Watch and Health have, in our endeavors see the need for government led by the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to as a matter of national interest constitute yet, another strategic measures not to relent on his preparedness to confront the increasing spread of virus…though the country have recorded 6,617 positive cases, close to 1,978 recovery and 31 death so far and this does not sound good for complacency

MINISTER HAS FAILED THE PRESIDENT

DAMAK SANITATION WATCH AND HEALTH PRESS RELEASE 22th May, 2020 ASHANTI REGIONAL MINISTER HAS FAILED THE PRESIDENT IN THE FIGHT OF COVID-19 Damak Sanitation Watch and Health can say with the authority that the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah has woefully failed the president in the fight of the coronavirus in the region. Per the outfit ‘’Community Sanitation Surveillance’’, the Minister who represents the president in the region should have been more contextual in his endeavors to propagate the president’s policy toward confronting the novel coronavirus by enforcing the directives and plans facilitated by the president to benefit the citizenry.
The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo have in his numerous addresses to the people of Ghana announced the free supply of water, food, electricity subsidy in his quest to reduce utility bills on the ordinary Ghanaian during the partial lockdown and up to date, most communities since the announcement was made, have not received a single drop of water from the regional directory indicate how fail the regional minister has suddenly become in his expedition of leading the people in the region. Damak Sanitation has it that communities that are not connected to the Ghana Water company limited rely on private water companies and are still engaging the private companies despite the president announcement to transport water to them… prior to our checks in some of the MMDCEs in the region, no single gallon of water is sent to these communities.
The world is in difficult times and Ghana is not exceptional and we expect every directives and plans being outlined by the president are extremely executed by the frontiers in the various regions. Fears are gradually swallowing the people of Ashanti Region especially in the Obuasi Municipal following the alarming number of cases. We can’t blame human failure on existence of the virus but can blame human resources failure toward confronting it. And it seems the region is losing grounds to constitute definite approach in fighting the virus.
Most residents complain bitter of not having access to the free supply of water and that of the electricity subsidy of which the regional minister and his team should have made persistent regional surveillance to ensure the president directive are properly facilitated, but that did not happen signifies our zeal to confronting government policies as leaders. The outfit have made thoroughly community engagement on the impact of covid-19 and it associated challenges confronting the people and the most topical issues that came up was the president free supply of water and the electricity subsidy tells you how the people are much concern about the initiative.
Damak sanitation watch is challenging the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah to point out a single community in the region where people doly enjoying president freely water supply accept the electricity since 29th March, 2020 during president third nation's address on covid-19. We therefore deem it appropriate to acknowledge the president for taken such laudable steeps to release the burden of domestic bills on the ordinary Ghanaians…but we differ to state that, his team will fail him if he did not constitute a concrete measures to cement his grounds he will have himself to be blamed. Hence calling on him to further restrategies his forward march in supporting the vulnerable ones and remote communities who cannot afford to buy water, alcohol based hand sanitizers to enable them observe the covid-19 protocols. Thank you. ....Signed... Akgri M. Daniel ( CEO) DAMAK sanitation watch and health Tel. 0248998510

Ghna's covid-19 case count hits 6,096 with 31 death

Ghana’s Covid-19 case count rises to 6,096 with 1, 773 recoveries and the dead 31. The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ghana still increases, even though the number of the recovery is encouraging, yet the fear about the virus remains the same in people's mind. The latest figures by the Ghana Health Service indicates 1,773 recoveries from the virus, representing an increase of 19 from the last update.
The number of deaths remain at 31 out of 6,096 confirmed cases recorded as at the time story was filled. DAMAK sanitation watch & Health presents below the Regional Breakdown of Ghana's covid-19 cases *Greater Accra Region – 4,536 *Ashanti Region – 888 *Central Region – 256 *Western Region – 111 *Eastern Region – 100 *Western North Region – 57 *Volta Region – 41 *Northern Region – 31 *Oti Region – 26 *Upper East Region – 26 *Savannah Region – 0 *Ahafo Region – 0 *Bono East Region – 0

 DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health continues to advise the general public to observe the WHO sanctioned safety protocols against Covid-19 pandemic. By Akgri M. Daniel

Ghana's case count hits 4,263

Covid-19, Ghana's case count hits 4,263 with 22 death Ghana confirmed corona virus case has increased by 251 with 4 more death adding to total death of 22 with 378 recoveries.
Ghana has recorded 251 more cases of Covid-19 leading the total case count to 4,263, the Ghana Health Service report says. On its Covid-19 webpage, the Service also said four more people have died from the disease, taking the death toll to 22. However, 55 more people have recovered from the disease, taking that case count to 378. The regional case counts indicate that Greater Accra, Central and Ashanti have recorded new cases.
According to the GHS report on the 3,436 cases as of May 8, Greater Accra which remains Ghana epicentre now has 3,641 cases, an increase of 205. Ashanti has 42 new cases making the count there to 252 while the Central region recorded four new cases, taking its tally to 62.
Eastern region still has 96 cases just as Western North 56, Western 35, Volta 32, Upper East 26, Oti 24, Upper West 20, Northern 16, North East 2 and Bono one. Although, Ahafo, Bono East and Savannah have yet to record any cases, residents in these areas are living in fear. By Akgri M. Daniel

Coronavirus case rises to 3,091 with 18 death and 372 more cases

Ghana’s coronavirus case count rises to 3,091 with 303 recoveries and 18 death Ghana has recorded 372 more novel Coronavirus cases, making the total case count 3,091, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.
According to the GHS, nine more patients have recovered and discharged making the total number of recoveries 303 as at 7th May, 2020. The death toll, according to the GHS update is still 18.
Ghana Health Service update report says, a total of 137,924 tests have been done so far. Ghana Health Service through the minister of information, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah had given the regional breakdown statistics as; The Bono region becomes the latest of the 16 regions to record its first case.
The Savannah, Ahafo and Bono East remain the only regions in Ghana yet to record a case. Greater Accra Region – 2,579 Ashanti Region – 165 Eastern Region – 95 Western North Region – 56 Central Region – 50 Western Region – 32 Volta Region – 30 Upper East Region – 26 Oti Region – 23 Upper West Region – 19 Northern Region – 13 North East Region – 2 Bono Region – 1 Savannah Region – 0 Ahafo Region – 0 Bono East Region – 0 By Akgri M. Daniel

Address to the nation 8

THE EIGHTH UPDATE ON GHANA'S COVID-19... PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health highlights few of the president eighth speech on Ghana's covid-19, the way forward. President Akufo-Addo says government will soon commence the construction of hospitals in the 88 districts in the country without hospitals, and each hospital with 100 beds. According to the President, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the massive gap in health infrastructure in the country and the need for government to attend to it.
Even though, all the outlined protocols remains observable including two weeks ban on public gatherings. “There are 88 districts in our country without hospitals. We have six new regions without regional hospitals.
We do not have infectious disease control centres dotted across the country and we don’t have enough testing and isolation centres for diseases like COVID-19. We must do something urgently about this,” President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo during his eighth update on Ghana’s situation on the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, 26th April, 2020. DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health presents Presiden Akufo-Addo full speech below; #Your Health, We Care. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening.
It is a privilege for me, once again, to come into your homes to speak to you about the state of our common battle against the pandemic of the Coronavirus that is affecting all parts of the world, including our own. Exactly a week ago, I announced the lifting of restrictions on movement of persons resident in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa. I did so on the basis of the data and science, as well as on a careful analysis of the impact of the restrictions on several sectors of our population, especially our informal workers, who need to have a day out in order to provide for themselves and their families, the poor and the vulnerable. Since I last spoke to you, we have completed the analysis of another thirty two thousand, and thirty one (32,031) samples, bringing the number of tests from sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) to one hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty two (100,622).
From this pool, the total number of confirmed infections have gone from one thousand and forty-two (1,042), to one thousand, five hundred and fifty (1,550). Our recoveries are now one hundred and fifty-five (155), and deaths eleven (11). The two (2) new cases of deaths, like the other nine (9), are all of persons with underlying health issues, what the doctors call comorbidity.
The positivity rate, i.e. the rate of infection from those sampled, continues to remain constant at 1.5%. Six (6) persons are critically ill, and the remaining one thousand, three hundred and seventy-eight (1,378) have mild or no symptoms at all, and are responding to treatment. Of the five hundred and eight (508) new confirmed cases, four hundred and sixty-five (465) are from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, ten (10) from Kasoa in the Central Region, seven (7) from the Ashanti Region, six (6) in the Eastern Region, two (2) in the Northern Region, one (1) in Western North, and seventeen (17) from the Oti Region. These seventeen (17) were the result of interceptions near Nkwanta by officers of the Immigration Service and other security personnel of two (2) cargo vehicles that had on 2 board a total of sixty-seven (67) passengers, who were illegally entering the Region from Accra during the period of the ‘lockdown’, and all of whom were tested, with seventeen (17) proving positive. We are still very much in unchartered territory, and, clearly, we still have some way to go towards ridding ourselves of the virus.
The truth is that this will be a long war, broken up into several battles. Indeed, we registered a modest success in the important battle to trace and test many of the persons who had come into contact with infected persons, and we cannot, and will not rest on our laurels. We will not let our guard down, as the fight against this virus has to progress. We will pursue vigorously our strategy of enhanced 3Ts, i.e. tracing and testing to allow us identify infected persons, and isolating and treating them. It is the surest way to root out the virus. Our efforts will remain constant, as will our abiding faith in the Almighty and our determination to defeat the virus. We must continue to be grateful to members of the media, members of our security forces, and our health workers for their sacrifice and high sense of patriotism in their contribution to the fight against the virus. The health workers, who are working day and night to care for the stricken, must continually be in our prayers. Their efforts will be in vain if we, at home, do not support them.
In addition to the incentive package given to all health workers, Government has enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers to increase significantly – they have received, in recent days, nine hundred and five thousand, and thirty-one (905,031) nose masks, thirty one thousand, six hundred and thirty (31,630) medical scrubs, thirty one thousand, four hundred and seventy-two (31,472) gowns, forty six thousand, eight hundred and seventy (46,870) head covers, and eighty three thousand, five hundred (83,500) N-95 face masks. We are also grateful for yesterday’s gift of medical supplies from the government of the United States of America to help boost our testing capacity, the latest assistance we have received from a friendly foreign nation. So, let us, on our part, continue to protect further our health workers by practicing social distancing, washing our hands with soap under running water, refraining from shaking hands, and, yes, wearing our masks 3 whenever we leave our homes.
I am happy to note that the hardworking Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central, has, as of yesterday, 25th April, 2020, issued directives to guide the production and mandatory wearing of face masks. We should all familiarize ourselves with them, and apply them, as the Regional Coordinating Councils of the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central Regions are demanding of their residents. Together, all these protocols will prove effective in helping each one of us to avoid contracting the virus. The doctors and scientists tell us that the virus is transmitted from human contact – talking, singing, coughing, sneezing, and, thereby, sending droplets of the virus from one person to another. That is why each one of us must adhere strictly to these directives. Fellow Ghanaians, in the course of this past week, I engaged a number of stakeholders to discuss the future of existing measures which have imposed restrictions on public gatherings, shut down our schools, and closed our borders.
I met with the Chairperson and Members of the Council of State, the President and Members of the Standing Committee of the National House of Chiefs, representatives of organised labour, i.e. the leadership of the Trades Union Congress, the leadership of the Christian Community, the leadership of the Muslim Community, the President and Executive Committee of the Ghana Medical Association, representatives and leaders of the Media, and the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), and its affiliated associations. The strong consensus that emerged from these and other consultations is that the existing measures must be maintained for now, until we have a firm grip on the movement of the virus. This consensus is supported by data and science, and I am also very much of this view.
I have, accordingly, by Executive Instrument, extended for another two (2) weeks the suspension of all public and social gatherings, as set out in E.I 64 of 15th March, 2020, effective tomorrow, 1am, Monday, 27th April. I am encouraged that so many of our trotros, taxis, and buses are operating with a minimal number of passengers, and our businesses and supermarkets are enforcing the need for social distancing, the use of hand sanitizers and the wearing of masks for all patrons and staff. I want to signal out supermarkets such as Melcom, Palace and Shoprite, in particular, for the 4 excellent discipline they are maintaining in their enterprises across the country, and call upon all other enterprises, especially our market women, to emulate them.
The example of markets in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, where social distancing is being well observed, is an excellent one for market women all over the country. I am fully aware of the sacrifices in reduced revenues that all businesses and enterprises are suffering. But, I believe we have no option but to sacrifice to defeat this virus. This is the time for sacrifice, so that we do not have to bear a greater cost in the future. Unhappily, there continues to be the worrying news of a few Ghanaians aiding some West African nationals to enter our country illegally, despite the closure of our borders. Even more disturbing is the fact that several of the West Africans, who have been arrested, have later tested positive for the virus. These are unpatriotic acts, and must stop.
We cannot continue to allow a few persons, who are motivated by their own selfish, money-making interests, to endanger the lives of the rest of the population. Not only will persons who enter our country illegally be strictly dealt with, but so will Ghanaians who facilitate their entry. As I have said before, being a Ghanaian must mean that we look out for each other. Just as the virus has disrupted our daily lives, it has also exposed the deficiencies of our healthcare system, because of years of under-investment and neglect. Whilst maternal, new-born, adolescent health and nutrition remain our top priorities, we must pay increased attention to chronic, noncommunicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma, which have proved to be the common risk factors for the eleven (11) deaths we have recorded from the virus.
It has highlighted the need to address mental health issues, and the crucial role of emergency services, to which the new fleet of ambulances and drones are responding. We must emphasise preventive and promotive aspects of health, in addition to care for the sick. The virus has also revealed the unequal distribution of healthcare facilities, as we have tended to focus our infrastructure on Accra and one or two of our other big cities. But, as we have seen, epidemics and pandemics, when they emerge, can spread to any part of our country. There are eighty-eight (88) districts in our country without district hospitals; we have six (6) new regions without regional hospitals; we do not have 5 infectious disease control centres dotted across the country; and we do not have enough testing and isolation centres for diseases like COVD-19.
We must do something urgently about this. That is why Government has decided to undertake a major investment in our healthcare infrastructure, the largest in our history. We will, this year, begin constructing eighty-eight (88) hospitals in the districts without hospitals. It will mean ten (10) in Ashanti, nine (9) in Volta, nine (9) in Central, eight (8) in Eastern, seven (7) in Greater Accra, seven (7) in Upper East, five (5) in Northern, five (5) in Oti, five (5) in Upper West, five (5) in Bono, four (4) in Western North, four (4) in Western, three (3) in Ahafo, three (3) in Savannah, two (2) in Bono East, and two (2) in North East Regions. Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundredbed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers, and the intention is to complete them within a year.
We have also put in place plans for the construction of six (6) new regional hospitals in the six (6) new regions, and the rehabilitation of the EffiaNkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region. We are going to beef up our existing laboratories, and establish new ones across every region for testing. We will establish three (3) infectious disease control centres for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control. The recent, tragic CSM outbreak, with over forty (40) deaths, has reaffirmed the need for ready access to such infectious disease control centres, even though, in our time, nobody should die of the disease.
Early reporting is what is required, and I implore everybody to heed this call. We shall make these investments in our healthcare system not because it is going to be easy, but because it is self-evidently necessary to serve the needs of 21st century Ghana. The three (3) Development Authorities, the Zongo Development Fund, and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will be tasked to place health infrastructure amongst their highest priorities in the coming years. Soon, at the appropriate time, the exact volume of investment required will be duly and transparently laid out for public scrutiny and action. 6 It is obvious that, side by side with the investment in the physical infrastructure of our public health system, we will have to intensify our policies for the growth of our domestic pharmaceutical industry, so that we can generate our own medicines and medical supplies and products.
We should no longer be dependent on foreign imports. Further, the National Health Insurance Scheme is, currently, in a stronger position, as a result of the significant reduction in outstanding arrears. It is my hope and expectation that this expanded and empowered public health system will be the most enduring legacy of the pandemic. Universal health coverage in Ghana will, then, become real and meaningful, for every Ghanaian deserves good health and good healthcare. Fellow Ghanaians, just as the Christian Celebration of Easter was severely affected by the virus, resulting in the cancellation of the usual activities associated with Easter, the Holy Month of Ramadan has not been spared either. It is my understanding that in the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Allayhi Wa’Salam, anytime there was heavy rain, he admonished the faithful, through the Azan, to stay in their houses and pray, rather than going to the mosques. In Bukhari’s collection of the Hadith, Book 13, Hadith No. 24, Ibn Sirin reports that Ibn Abbas said to his muezzin, and I quote, “after saying ‘I testify that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger’, do not say, ‘come for the prayer’, but say, ‘pray in your houses’…It was done by one much better than I…” (that is the Prophet) Through analogical deduction, Muslim scholars agree that ‘rain’ represented danger, and, therefore, the prescription for Muslims to stay at home and pray in times of heavy rain is applicable to all life-threatening situations.
I, thus, call on all Muslims to heed this prophetic admonishment to pray at home, so we can protect ourselves from the danger of COVID-19 . This is in line with the counsel of the wise, devout Muslim scholar, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. I wish all Muslims Ramadan Mubarak. In this period, let me state, once again, that the virus is the enemy, and not one another. We must be resolute in our unity to defeat this invisible enemy. No country on earth has been spared the ravages of this virus, and my singleminded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis, protect our 7 population from the virus, and see to the rebuilding of our economy.
Nothing else matters for me. Fellow Ghanaians, we must now begin to lift our heads above the parapet, and look at our future with courage and hope. I shall be outlining, shortly, the path for bringing the restrictive measures, systematically, to an end, and defining the basket of measures for the revival and growth of our national economy. We have to own our future. I am truly proud, and, indeed, humbled, to stand here today as your President, witnessing the unfettered assistance Ghanaians have given to each other, the help you have offered to those in need, the generosity of your contributions to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, and the support and understanding you have given to the difficult measures Government has had to undertake.
It is said that out of adversity comes opportunity, and, through this ordeal, we, Ghanaians, have had the opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to one another, showing the best of who we are. The solidarity and humanity on display in these past days fills me with even more optimism that Ghana will overcome this crisis, and come out even stronger and more resilient. This, too, shall pass! For the battle is the Lord’s. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you for your attention. By Akgri M. Daniel

LOCAL NOSE MASKS SOLD ON THE STREETS

HOW CAN THE PUBLIC TRUST LOCAL NOSE MASKS SOLD ON THE STREETS... DAMAK CEO QUERIES GOV'T DAMAK

Sanitation Watch & Health is advising the general public to be more cautious of local produced nose masks sold on the streets. The organisation is therefore, advising government to take preventive safety measures in a form of education on the use of the nose masks and it holisticness to boost public confidence.
Even though, the nose masks, to whether foreign or local produce is not entirely an antidote to the covid-19 but, a tool of protection.
However, we must be assured of how safe they are; because we are all at risk, and we don’t know who is infected with virus which is critical thing we must observe. All these are reasons we seek government of Ghana and the Ghana Health Services to take a second look at the manner in which local nose masks are springing in the country and advised ultimate measures to control and prevent mass spread of the virus. We are yet to hear or see countries with such approach in the fight of the novel coronavirus.
We believe government will do the blissful thing and constitute infringing effort to regulate local manufactures of covid-19 protective materials by defining a specific centres for these products to be sold there instead of through an open markets…these materials have now become a household business for everybody of which the public may find it difficult to trust the materials and sellers…deem it critical for immediate intervention. Following the call by World Health Organization (WHO) to use protective nose masks in the fight against covid-19 pandemic, Ghana is no exception. Hence, we have to act decisively in our quest to prescribe protective materials from reliable sources for public consumption.
DAMAK Sanitation Watch & Health, since the start of the virus, have taken upon itself to facilitate viable road map through community base surveillance in the area of environmental cleanness and some few supply of alcohol based hand sanitizers to support government in the fight of the covid-19. Thus, admonishing the public to put up self-inspire spirited efforts in the fight of corona virus pandemic by continue to adhere to the government outlined protocols so that together we avert covid-19 in Ghana. Signed... Mr. Akgri M. Daniel CEO, DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health Telephone;0248998510

DEPRIVED COMMUNITIES IN A/R CRY FOUL OVER LACK OF WATER SUPPLY

DEPRIVED COMMUNITIES IN A/R CRY FOUL OVER LACK OF WATER SUPPLY…DAMAK COVID-19 REPORT
Residents in some deprived communities of the Ashanti Region are calling on government to intervene in providing them with sufficient portable drinking water to enhance the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.
DAMAK Sanitation Watch & Health can report that regardless of the president’s directives to supply free water and subsidy electricity consumption in the hotspots areas in the country, deprived communities in some part of the Ashanti Region are still going through daily challenges in their quest to connected to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), or have access to the free supply of water. A survey conducted revealed that the following communities are experience insufficient supply of water.
They include; the Ejisu Municipality, Juaben District, Bosomtwe District, Afigya Sekyere East District, Kwabre South District, Kwabre North Districts, and Kwabre East District, and Atwima Nwabiagya north District all in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. (Picture of well) Some of these communities especially the Ejisu Municipal have since creation not connected to the Ghana Water Company Limited and they have to depend on wells as their sources of water supply.
And communities in such situation, the president were directed authorities to mount poly tanks in such areas to enable them have free supply of water. But at the time of filing this story, the Ejisu municipal and its environs are yet to have access to the free water supply. Residents explained that they have resorted into purchasing water from private own-water suppliers and cannot afford again due to the covid-19 restrictions.
The Ejisu Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Serwa Derkyie, affirmed that the municipal is indeed not connected to the GWC and residents depend on wells. But she could not establish to when the municipal will have access to the free supply of water as the president directed.
That notwithstanding, the Afigya Sekyere East District is also facing similar problem when Damak Sanitation Watch team visited the district. Residents could not hid their sentiments stressed angrily calling on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to enforced GWC to extend the free water supply to them to enable stay save in the partial lockdown.
In response to complans of residents in the Sekyere East District, the Chief Executive, Madam Merry Marfo declined to comment but was quick to relay that her outfit is facilitating measures to resolve the situation.
Fortunately for Kwabre North District, they also depend surely on mechanized water pumps that were freely constructed for the communities by the International Directhelp Projects (IDP) led by Pierre Petitjean from Switzerland. (Watch video below) Speaking to Mr. Eric Tawia, a farmer at Nkwantakese a suburb of Kwabre- North District, he expressed his appreciation to IDP amidst appealing on government to fulfil her promised to supply free water to affected communities for them to also benefit from the national cake.
Video LINK: Video Nkwantakese interview .. attached.
By; Benjami Barnabas Asalimbay & Akgri M. Daniel

LOCKDOWN LIFTED

GHANA'S COVID-19 PARTIAL LOCKDOWN LIFTED
President of the republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo's on his 7th COVID-19 Update speech have lifted the partial lockdown that was observed in some selected regions as a measure to fight the pandemic.
People are relieved to continue their daily activities. Even though, the fear of the pandemic diseases is high, yet people are rushing to their normal duties as usual. President Akufo-Addo's seventh address on measures to contain the Coronavirus on Sunday, April 19, 2020, is as follows below.
ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, ON UPDATES TO GHANA’S ENHANCED RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, ON SUNDAY, 19TH APRIL, 2020. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening, Today, Sunday, 19th April, 2020, is exactly three (3) weeks since I came to you and announced the imposition of restrictions to movement in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa, and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts. I explained, at the time, that the decision was taken 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, if necessary, quarantine and isolate them for treatment, should they prove to be positive for the virus.
GET CORONAVIRUS UPDATES HERE This decision to restrict movement has occasioned a number of severe difficulties for all of us across the country, especially for the poor and vulnerable, and not only for those resident in the affected areas. Let me express my gratitude to all of you for bearing with Government, all health workers, and with members of our security services, throughout this period. I requested all of us to sacrifice for our collective good, and we have been doing just that. I thank all our healthcare workers, the men and women of our security services, and members of the media, for the work they are doing in helping to combat the spread of the virus.
Let me also thank the individuals and organisations who have made contributions to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund. It is truly appreciated. Fellow Ghanaians, since the first two (2) cases of infections were recorded on our shores, we have, till date, traced some eighty-six thousand (86,000) contacts, out of which we have test results of sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) contacts.
There is, thus, a backlog of some eighteen thousand (18,000) tests whose results are yet to be received. The overwhelming majority of these contacts have been established in the last three weeks of the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi. Out of this number, one thousand and forty-two (1,042) persons, i.e. 1.5%, have been confirmed as positive, with sixty seven thousand, five hundred and forty-nine (67,549), i.e. 98.5%, testing negative; ninety-nine (99) persons have recovered and have been discharged; and nine hundred and thirty (930) persons, who have been isolated, are responding to treatment either in their homes or in treatment facilities. These nine hundred and thirty (930) persons, after their treatment, will soon undergo the mandatory two (2) tests to determine if they have also recovered from the virus or otherwise.
The main reason our country has seen an increase in the number of confirmed cases over the last three (3) weeks is because of the decision we took aggressively to trace and test contacts of infected persons. This has enabled us to identify and isolate infected persons, protect the population from further infections, and contain better the spread of the virus. Indeed, Ghana is the only other country in Africa to have conducted more than sixty thousand tests, and we are ranked number one (1) in Africa in administering of tests per million people. The decision to impose restrictions on movement was backed by the data at hand, and our next course of action, again, is backed by data and by science. Indeed, all that Government is doing is intended to achieve five (5) key objectives – limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance.
It is important to state, at the very onset, that scientists at the University of Ghana have successfully sequenced genomes of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, obtaining important information about the genetic composition of viral strains in fifteen (15) of the confirmed cases in Ghana. This is a significant milestone in Ghana’s response to the pandemic, as it will strengthen surveillance for tracking mutations of the virus, and aid in the tracing of the sources of community infections in people with no known contact with confirmed cases. The Ghanaian scientific community is to be warmly applauded for this advance and contribution to global knowledge. Their work makes us proud to be Ghanaian, and, who knows, God may work through them to discover a vaccine. What a triumph that would be! Indeed, the recent genomic characterisation of African Coronaviruses by our own scientists illustrates the need to establish the enabling framework for sustainable vaccine manufacturing in Africa.
We must advance African-led partnerships to drive scientific innovations for the control of viral diseases by vaccination. Ghana, recognising this critical public health tool, will support the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative, which is chaired by Noguchi’s Prof William Ampofo, to promote the agenda for vaccine development and manufacturing in Africa by Africans for the world. Related Articles Covid-19: Ghana's case count now 1,042, recoveries 99 COVID-19: 13 social gatherings that remain suspended after partial lockdown is lifted Akufo-Addo's 7th COVID Address postponed to 9pm today VIDEO: Watch President Akufo-Addo's 7th Coronavirus update COVID-19: President Akufo-Addo lifts partial lockdown effective Monday Government has also introduced the use of drones to expedite the transportation of samples to laboratory centres. On Friday, 17th April, for example, fifty-one (51) samples were delivered from the Omenako Drone Distribution Centre to Noguchi. Furthermore, we are introducing rapid results testing to augment our surveillance and enhanced contact tracing efforts, so that we can quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases. From the sixty -eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) samples tested, we have been able to understand better the dynamism of the virus, map out its geographic footprint, and establish current and potential hotspots. We have also been able to isolate and educate asymptomatic carriers, and, thereby, help minimise the spread of the virus.
So far, it has been established that the virus was imported into our midst from foreign shores, and is being spread through person to person contact. The majority of persons infected in Ghana have mild to no symptoms at all, whilst a very small number have required hospital treatment, out of which nine (9) persons, with underlying ailments, have died. Towards treatment, we have expanded and added to our network of COVID-19 treatment centers, with the Ga East and Bank of Ghana Hospitals being one hundred percent (100%) dedicated to the fight. In addition, we have set aside separate COVID-19 treatment centres at the University of Ghana Medical School Hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi South Hospital, and in other designated Regional and District Hospitals. Last Friday, I was honoured to do the virtual sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a 100-bed Infectious Disease and Isolation Facility at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, which is being funded through a public-private partnership, under the leadership of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund., and whose construction, with the assistance of the 48-Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, will be completed in six (6) weeks. Members of the Private Sector Fund have, indeed, acted like citizens, and not spectators, in these testing times for our country, and their patriotism is to be loudly praised. We have also scaled up the domestic production of personal protective equipment, and our health care facilities, so far, have taken delivery of fourteen thousand, five hundred and fifty (14,550) scrubs, eleven thousand, nine hundred (11,900) gowns, nineteen thousand, nine hundred and eighty (19,980) head covers, two hundred and sixty three thousand, two hundred and eighty one (263,281) nose masks, thirteen thousand, and two (13,002) N-95 nose masks. Forty-one thousand, one hundred and seventeen (41,117) varying sizes of sanitizers have also been produced locally and delivered to our health facilities.
The enhancement of our capacity to test has been made possible by the dedication of the expanded teams at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, and the National Public Health Reference Laboratory. Further, we are making significant investments in the laboratories at the Veterinary Laboratory, Accra, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory, Accra, the Police Hospital, the 37 Military Hospitals, the University of Health and Allied in Ho, the Veterinary Services Department in Sekondi-Takoradi, the Public Health Laboratory in Tamale, the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo and the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, so they can also use PCR Technology. We are recalibrating one hundred (100) Regional and District Tuberculosis Gene Expert Laboratories across the country, to help ensure that we have a minimum situation of one testing centre per region.
Fellow Ghanaians, in view of our ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, the enhancement of our capacity to test, the expansion in the numbers of our treatment and isolation centres, our better understanding of the dynamism of the virus, the ramping up of our domestic capacity to produce our own personal protective equipment, sanitisers and medicines, the modest successes chalked at containing the spread of the virus in Accra and Kumasi, and the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable, I have taken the decision to lift the three (3) week old restriction on movements in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa, and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts, with effect from 1am on Monday, 20th April. In effect, tomorrow will see the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi being lifted. I must make it clear, at the outset, that lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place. For the avoidance of doubt, the earlier measures announced on Wednesday, 15th March, which have been extended, are still very much in force, and have not been relaxed. I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures. In here, I am referring to the suspension of all public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, parties, nightclubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events.
All educational facilities, private and public, are to remain closed. Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, observing staff management and workplace protocols with the view to achieving social distancing and hygiene protocols. Operators of public transport, including our buses, trotros and taxis, are to continue to run with a minimum number of passengers, as they have been doing for the last three weeks in maintaining social distancing. They must also continue to ensure the maintenance of enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands. Domestic airlines are required to adhere to the same protocols.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, together with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, will continue to implement measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country, and expand the policy of alternate-days-for-alternative-products to improve social distancing in all markets. As has been established, the overwhelming majority of confirmed cases have come from travellers or from people who have come into contact with travellers. It is, therefore, incumbent on us to continue to be vigilant about travelers into our country until further notice, and to congratulate the men and women of the Immigration Service and the Marine Police Unit for their work in securing our borders.
The arrest of ten (10) West African nationals in Tamale who all tested positive for the virus; the arrest of the six (6) Nigerian travellers who entered Ghana through unapproved routes along the Ghana-Togo border near Aflao, who also tested positive for the virus; and the recent arrest of ten (10) fishermen in the Western Region, who returned from Cote d’ivoire and have been quarantined, testify to the determination of our security services to protect our borders. I have, thus, signed an Executive Instrument, to extend the closure of our borders for two (2) more weeks, beginning Monday, 20th April. Like the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently advised, I want to encourage you to wear a mask wherever you go, as it will help you not to contract the virus, and keep it clean. If you own a business, or are providing a service, i.e. a barber, a hairdresser, a tailor, a taxi driver, a trotro driver and his ‘mate’, a shop keeper, a food seller, please do well to use a mask.
The Ministry of Health will very soon issue guidelines on face masks for public use. I entreat religious, traditional, community and opinion leaders to partner with government in engaging, mobilising and enforcing adherence to social distancing and personal hygiene practices in their respective communities. As difficult as it may be, I encourage all bereaved persons to conduct private burials of their loved ones, but ensure that the twenty -five (25) person limit is not breached. Indeed, some are burying their loved ones now, in order to have the final funeral rites later. The morgues in the country are becoming full, and will, in themselves, soon pose a public health hazard. So, let us act quickly on this. As the days go by, and as we continue to sustain a grip on the rapid spread of the virus, the systematic easing of these restrictions will be undertaken to bring life back to normalcy. Definitely, we will continue to record new cases of infections, particularly with our policy of aggressive tracing and testing.
However, I want to assure you that Government has put in place the appropriate measures to isolate and treat them. Should there be an unexpected outburst in infections within a community, I have put the health workers and the security services, including the Police Service and the Armed Forces, on standby, to co-ordinate a rapid response of human and logistical resources, if necessary, to cordon, impose a curfew, trace, test, and treat infected persons in the affected community. Indeed, the focus of Government’s policy and action will be based on the implementation of the 3Ts, i.e. tracing, testing and treating. In any event, stay at home, unless it is absolutely essential. The movement of foodstuffs will continue from producing areas to the markets, and, with the intervention of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the markets would be better organised for the sale of foodstuffs. Fellow Ghanaians, as we fight to halt the spread of the virus, we are also engaged in fights on two other fronts – fights we must equally win. Firstly, there continues to be the deliberate dissemination of fake news, disinformation and outright lies by some unpatriotic citizens about the spread of the virus since its outbreak in the country.
These acts are being orchestrated by those who hope to benefit by seeking to sow the seeds of panic and confusion amongst the populace at this time of national crisis. I have an unequivocal message for those involved in these despicable acts – put an immediate stop to it, or be held accountable for your actions. Secondly, as has been aptly stated by the Ghana Medical Association, being infected by the Coronavirus is not necessarily a death sentence. I have noticed, with great concern, the stories of some persons, who have recovered from the virus, now being confronted with another problem, i.e. stigmatization. This is not right, as it will rather drive people away from getting screened, tested and treated. The stigmatization of recovered persons must stop, because if the virus did not end their lives and livelihoods, the stigma from members of their communities should not. I know the effects of the measures to contain the virus have been difficult for many, and that is why I mandated the creation of the GH¢1.2 billion Coronavirus Alleviation Programme to support households and businesses. Out of this amount, two hundred and eighty million cedis (GH¢280 million) is being used to provide food for the vulnerable and free water for all Ghanaians for three (3) months, i.e. April, May and June, three hundred and twenty three million cedis (GH¢323 million) is being used to motivate our health workers, and six hundred million cedis (GH¢600 million) of assistance is being provided to micro, small and medium-scale businesses.
I expect disbursements of the six hundred million cedis to start in May. Further, Government is fully absorbing electricity bills for one million active lifeline customers, and is granting a fifty percent (50%) subsidy on electricity bills of all other customers, using their March 2020 bill as their benchmark, for the months of April, May and June. In total, the relief on electricity will amount to some one billion cedis (GH¢1.02 billion). Again, Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture through the National Buffer Stock Company, in collaboration with the MMDCEs and the District Disaster Management Committees, has provided over 2.5 million cooked food packs to vulnerable persons in the affected districts of Accra and Kumasi. Dry food packs have also been distributed, in collaboration with the faith-based organisations, to four hundred and seventy thousand (470,000) families in the same areas, as against the original target of four hundred thousand (400,000).
I express my profound gratitude to the private sector and faith-based organisations, and traditional authorities for their support in this endeavour. I also commend highly the many individuals and private organisations who, on their own, organised hot meals and fed a number of vulnerable people within the restricted areas. To these individuals, ayekoo for being good neighbours to your fellow Ghanaians. As we continue to battle this pandemic, it is imperative we plan to restore Ghana onto a sound economic footing, and create a path towards growth and transformation. The recent one billion United States dollar Rapid Credit Facility, secured from the IMF, without any precondition, and approved by Parliament, will be used to help close the financing gap that has been created by the pandemic through shortfalls in revenues and additional expenditures. I welcome the three billion cedi (GH¢3 billion) credit and stimulus package from the commercial banks, with the support of the Bank of Ghana, to revitalise industries, especially in the pharmaceutical, hospitality, services, and manufacturing sectors.
The Minister for Finance, that hardworking, outstanding national treasurer, together with his counterpart in South Africa, as co-Chairs of the Committee of African Finance Ministers, have been leading a Pan-African effort to bring debt relief to the continent in these difficult times. Last Friday, they achieved a nine-month debt standstill from the World Bank for all qualifying members of the International Development Association (IDA), starting from 1st May, 2020, totalling some forty-four billion United States dollars ($44 billion) for the countries of Africa. In the case of Ghana, this amounts to a freeze in principal and interest payments for the year, amounting to some five hundred million United States dollars ($500 million). This will create greater fiscal space to help make the Ghanaian economy much more resilient. I have charged the Finance Minister to leave no stone unturned to achieve an even greater and comprehensive debt relief programme for Africa. Our success in defeating the virus is largely within our control. That means each and every one of us must exercise, at all times, during this period without the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi, a strong sense of selflessness, self-control and self-discipline.
It is important to stress strongly that coming out of the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi does not mean we are out of the pandemic. We will continue to monitor closely events in some hotspots in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area like Weija Gbawe, Ga East, and Ayawaso East Municipalities, and Tema Metropolis, and in the Eastern Region, like Asuoygaman and Lower Manya Krobo Districts. Whenever the situation so warrants, a community in which the virus is identified as becoming prevalent will be locked -down, until there is a clear understanding of the trajectory of the virus that will allow us to contain it. We must obey the measures still in place, including the new ones, because we know our survival depends on them, and, the harder we are on ourselves in obeying them, the quicker and more enduring will be the victory.
To Ghanaians in all parts of the world, I urge you to remain steadfast in abiding by the rules and regulations that have been put in place by your host countries to combat the virus, and I extend the condolences of all your compatriots at home to all families abroad who have lost their loved ones to the virus. And, I take this opportunity to wish our High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, my good friend, Papa Owusu Ankomah, who has been affected by the virus, and other Ghanaians abroad who have been so-affected, a speedy recovery. This disease is new, it is in plain evolution, and there is, therefore, as yet, no vaccine or cure. But we know enough to take action, and we shall be nimble and adapt as the situation changes. We will tailor our solutions to our unique social, economic and cultural conditions.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but I pledge to you that Government will do whatever is required, in our particular circumstances, to safeguard the lives of our people, and keep our economy going. Discipline, self-discipline, is that strong bridge that all of us, from the safety of our homes, in our workplaces, and in our communities, must build. We need to build a strong bridge of self-discipline in order for us to cross over from this difficult period of restrictions and the spread of the Coronavirus to the other side, where total freedom to go about our normal lives awaits us. To defeat the virus, and get there, we have to accept that we have to wash our hands, maintain good hygiene, refrain from shaking hands, wear our masks, and practice social distancing in all of our engagements. Fellow Ghanaians, we are confronting one of the greatest challenges of our generation. We have to win this battle. We have to defeat the virus.
It is our behaviour and response that will determine that. I have every confidence that, collectively, we, Ghanaians, have it in us to rise to the occasion and become victorious. I am very grateful for the great support you have given my Government and I, as we steer our country out of this crisis. Continue in unity to provide that support. This, too, shall pass, for the Battle is the Lord’s. Me da moa se paa, mon kɔ so ntie masɛm, na yɛn nyinaa ndi nkunim. Min da nyɛ shi waa, nyɛ yaa nɔ ni yɛ boa nwiemɔ tuɛ, koni wɔ fɛɛ wɔ ye nkuni. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you for your attention, and have a good night.   By Akgri M. Daniel