A Letter to the President – Prof Gyampo writes

2. Please let the schools, churches & local authorities come out, first, with detailed plans they intend putting in place, should the nation be fully unlocked. This will help avoid more infection and make these plans fully public in order to create awareness of serious preparations.

3. Please let there first be enough & affordable PPEs and let the use of PPEs be first internalized by the Ghanaian people.

4. There may be some evidence in the claim that we have reached our peak rate of infection. But Sir, the recalcitrant and ignorant conduct of some Ghanaians makes it unwise for any decision to be taken on the basis of we reaching our peak infection rate, and the possibility of decline in infections.

5. Kindly ask some independent researchers to visit Abossey Okai now, and listen to their beliefs and perceptions about COVID-19. You may realize that we may have to be tightening the screws, rather than contemplating a full unlock. I say this because, I was there this morning, and was surprised to know that, those who came around my car to help, believed the disease is only meant for the rich and affluent in society. They will not wear masks or observe the social distance protocols. I tried my best to educate, but they felt I was rather ignorant. So, how do we contemplate a total unlock with such ignorant attitude?

6. Sir, less than 10 people had been infected at the time of our partial lockdown. Fully unlocking at a time when we have more than 3,000 infected cases, without considering paragraph 1, may be problematic, as partisan political expediency, may be read into the decision, in a manner that may undermine the cohesion needed in fighting the pandemic.

7. For the sake of public health and safety, I respectfully urge you, not to pander to the pressures from some church leaders to fully unlock. Also, nothing will happen even if an entire academic year is lost for the sake of public health.

8. We are not in normal times and while we pray and amend our old ways in a manner that elicit the attention of our maker in helping us, we must, with respect, also be proactive and have our action and responses, really driven by real science and the canons of logic and critical thinking, that factors the recalcitrant and ignorant behavior of some people into the equation.

9. Let’s not be in a haste to fully unlock. Let there be a full preparation towards this, first.

Thank you sir.

Yaw Gyampo
A31, Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street
Saltpond

&

Suro Nipa House
Kubease
Larteh-Akuapim