Accra, Ghana, May 20, 2020//-Nongovernmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions of Ghana have called on the government as a matter of urgency to fulfill its promise to supply three million nose/face masks to Ghanaians.
According to them, this would prevent citizens particularly those in their operational regions from contracting the ravaging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The provision of these masks would also protect the citizens who are not wearing the masks due to scarcity from being persecuted by the security agencies especially the police.
For more than a month, Italians had heard of the ‘Corona Virus’ in China, having seen the stories on the news about how the Chinese Government was handling the epidemic. This news seemed like something that was from a far off land that could never hit the Italian peninsula because it was the kind of situation that only happened to ‘others’, quite a normal response, much like many other populations responded. Thus, people were slow to put any emergency plans into place. At one point in early January, it was suggested that an Italian manager come up with an emergency plan, but this had not been the first time this manager had been advised that establishing rules to protect people from the normal flu was in order. However, one had to think positively rather than to living in fear of the Corona Virus, which was considered ‘unlikely’ to spread beyond China. Here you can take face mask, discounted at the Global Genesis medical suppliers company. People from all backgrounds, not just Italians, tend to be more favourable of looking at life from a positive point of view; however, planning for the best is sometimes the equivalent of kicking the bucket down the road to someone else. Politicians are now trying to find a solution to help small businesses that are facing difficulties during this trying period, and money is being allocated to help families with children who need to keep a mother or father at home to watch the children whose schools have recently been closed. On the surface, these seem to be the best solutions to problems facing the country, but the long-term effects could potentially bury the nation in outstanding debt, causing difficulties for future generations.
Not only have hugs, kisses, and handshakes been banned. Soccer games open to fans have also been banned for thirty days by the decreet of Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister of Italy. This has saddened the majority of Italians, although many argue that even soccer players should have the right to keep their distance from one another. Furthermore, all sports’ events must be held behind closed doors until the third of April, something that remains incredible in the country known for kisses on the cheeks.
COVID-19 has interfered dramatically with the practice of religion, especially the Catholic religion, during February and March 2020. Yesterday, the author visited the Church of Santo Stefano in Borgomanero, where custodians had just cleaned the floors and disinfected the church. Not a living soul was to be found, neither a priest nor a tourist, which allowed the author to focus on the frescoes and the beautiful stained-glass windows in silence. If one travels across Italy this month, he or she will encounter numerous churches without parishioners because people are naturally afraid to meet one another in closed spaces no matter how large and accommodating they might be. It has been recommended that priests remove the holy water from Catholic Churches for fear of spreading the virus. Although citizens and tourists can visit holy shrines, church services have to be conducted via television and internet. Furthermore, churches have been closed because, in recent years, people have begun to steal religious artefacts from them when the churches and shrines are not guarded.
The NGOs namely Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), West Africa AIDS Foundation (WAAF) Citizens Watch Ghana (CTG), Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN), Global Coalition Against Infectious Diseases (GCAID) and Ahafo Network of NGOs (ANN) made the call in a press release issued today.
Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Founder/CEO of Global Media Foundation and Spokesperson of the NGOs said: “Our monitoring revealed how the security taskforce are arresting; molesting and brutalizing citizens especially market women and the vulnerable for not wearing nose/face masks”.
The security task forces in Sunyani and Sunyani West Municipalities have resorted in beating people in Sunyani, Odumase and Fiapre who are not wearing nose/face mask and as CSOs we see this action of the task forces as violating the fundamental human rights of the victims and therefore calling on government to call the taskforces to order”, he emphasized.
Also Mr Ahenu added that their checks revealed of lack of purchasing power especially among the vulnerable like Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), unemployed, people living from hand to mouth, among others are unable to afford nose/face masks.
Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his fifth address update on the country’s enhanced COVID-19 measures announced that ten thousand domestically produced face masks and more money would be delivered to the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) to enhance its capacity to undertake the important work it is already doing.
“However, investigations from the various district offices in the three regions have revealed as at yesterday that they had not received any PPE including money as promised by the President”.
We are saddened about government inability to resource the NCCE to enable the commission effectively carry out its core mandate of educating the public especially during this period of COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Ahenu said.
“Despite its critical role in public education, the NCCE has not been involved in national COVID-19 planning and response process leading to low education for the public on COVID-19 in the three regions and Ghana as a whole. We therefore call on government to immediately resource the commission to play its role effectively”.
Touching on the COVID-19 Trust Fund, they want the government to make known publicly how much monies it has received in cash and also in kind and how it intends disbursing the donations.
African Eye Report
