Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Obiri Boahen has mounted a strong defense of the non-adherence to Covid-19 protocols at the funeral ceremony of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission (FC) Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John).
Mr Obiri Boahen told Dzifa Bampoh on the First Take on 3FM Monday June 7 that most of the people in attendance observed all the protocols during the event.
If some persons were seen to have violated the protocols, he said, they should be dealt with in accordance with law as individuals, but not to blame the organizers of the funeral.
“The president was there and he observed the COVID-19 protocols, the Vice President was there he observed the protocols, the Chief of Staff was there she observed the protocols, Nana Obiri Boahen was there the next day he observed the protocols. So if an individual fails to observe the COVID-19 protocols the individual must be held answerable.
“John Boadu did, Asiedu Nketia observed the protocols. A lot of NDC activists were there and a lot of them observed the protocols so where do you put the blame on the New Patriotic Party and the government.
“If an individual flouts the protocols he me be held answerable. [On Sunday] Accra Hearts of Oak played Great Olympics. What happened? People trooped in, people broke the gate, why are we not also commenting about that on?”
His comments come after the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and pressure group, OccupyGhana have asked the security agencies to arrest persons who flouted the protocols during the funeral.
Describing the funeral as a potential super spreader of the deadly viral disease, the GMA said investigations must quickly be launched into the organisation and the perpetrators dealt with.
“The memories of the catastrophic consequences of the surge in Covid-19 cases in January-February 2021 including that of many lives lost and the pressure our healthcare system came under during the surge is fresh on our minds,” the association of medical doctors and surgeons said in a statement issued and signed jointly by President Dr Frank Ankobea and General Secretary Dr Justice Yankson.
“The GMA condemns such activities that violate our protocols and has the tendency to reverse all the gains made in our fight against Covid-19.
“We call on the law enforcement agencies to investigate and deal with the organisers of this and any similar events to serve as a deterrent to others who intend to endanger the public health of our nation.”
OccupyGhana also said in a statement that “We cannot show such a remarkable sense of recklessness and abandon in these times and not expect to reap disastrous and possibly deadly consequences.
“We need no reminders that by exercising bad judgment in releasing Aisha Huang, government created a defiant galamsey population on its hands and more destruction of our water bodies and forests ensued until it had to resort to the illegal and populist remedy of burning excavators to try and stem the tide of evil genie unleashed with the release of Aisha Huang. Similarly, this disregard of the law will embolden several people to treat COVID-19 protocols with disdain and contempt.”
