President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, efforts are underway to recalibrate 100 Regional and District Tuberculosis Gene Expert Laboratories to ensure that each region has a minimum of one testing centre for COVID-19.

He explained the enhancement of the capacity to test had 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.

The President made the announcement in a national broadcast to give his seventh update on measures taken against the spread of COVID-19.

Additionally, he announced that investments were being made to expand the use of PCR Technology in some facilities for enhanced testing.

“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,” he stated.

“The rest are the University of Health and Allied Sciences 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.”

On treatment, the President said the Government had expanded and added to the network of COVID-19 treatment centres, with the Ga East and the Bank of Ghana Hospitals being 100 per cent dedicated to the fight.

“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,” said.

“The construction, with the assistance of the 48-Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, will be completed in six 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.”

Other centres are 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.

The Government had also scaled up the domestic production of Personal Protective Equipment with health care facilities, so far, taking delivery of 14,550 scrubs, 11,900 gowns, 19,980 headcovers, 263,281 nose masks and 13,002 N-95 nose masks.

They have also received 41,117 varying sizes of locally produced sanitizers.

With other measures also put in place, he, therefore, announced the lifting of the three-week restriction on movements in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas and contiguous districts, effective, Monday, April 20.

He, however, urged Ghanaians to continuously adhere to the safety and social distancing protocols to contain the spread of the disease.

Source: GNA

Anti-graft campaigner, Kwame A Plus, has called on the Akufo-Addo-led government to cut down the size of his ministers to save the public purse.

Ghana has over 100 ministers – the largest ever under the Fourth Republic.

In a recent Facebook post, the maverick musician wondered why some ministries are still in existence when the country is struggling to service its loans as well as develop.

“Instead of going on a borrowing spree to fill the $12 billion deficit financing, we can raise money by cutting down frivolous expenditure like the new voter’s register which will cost over 200 million dollars, reduce the number of ministers and their allocated staffers and also desist from irresponsible procurement of vehicles (V8s) and other non-essential expenditure like ministerial travels and cut down the president’s entourage during foreign trips.

“We cannot roam the world begging for aid and spend 64 million Ghana cedis gallivanting around the world in 9 months,” the musician-turned-politician said.

He added: “This is the time to be prudent. Collapse unproductive ministries and agencies like Regional Reorientation or whatever it is called, Ministry for Monitoring and Evaluating – they don’t monitor and evaluate huutey, Senior Minister’s Office is of no use, Zongo Development Ministry has not developed any Zongo, it is just a trick to win Zongo votes.

“How can we have a Ministry for Sanitation and have a Ministry for Environment? Isn’t it the same environment we want to sanitize? If we insist on having a sanitation ministry it’s mandated must be to sanitize the mindset of public officials, not the environment because public sector reforms commission or agency or whatever is a total waste of taxpayer’s money!!!

“How can we have a Business Development Ministry and have a Ministry for Trade and Industry and have a Special Initiatives Ministry and have a One District One Factory Secretariat? How can we have a Ministry of Transport and have a Ministry for Railways and have a ministry for Aviation and have the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority. One day we will have a ministry for Okada and a ministry for taxi and a ministry for uber!!!

“Ghana just took 1 billion dollars in aid from the IMF. What is the use of a Ghana beyond aid secretariat when you continue to receive aid left right center?

“These ministries and agencies spend more on salaries and V8s than their mandate. If we scrap them we will save a lot which will help bring our economy back to life.”

Read A Plus’ full post below

Instead of going on a borrowing spree to fill the $12 billion deficit financing, we can raise money by cutting down frivolous expenditure like the new voters register which will cost over 200 million dollars, reduce the number of ministers and their allocated staffers and also desist from irresponsible procurement of vehicles (V8s) and other non-essential expenditure like ministerial travels and cut down the president’s entourage during foreign trips. We cannot roam the world begging for aid and spend 64 million Ghana cedis gallivanting around the world in 9 months. 

This is the time to be prudent. Collapse unproductive ministries and agencies like Regional Reorientation or whatever it is called, Ministry for Monitoring and Evaluating – they don’t monitor and evaluate huutey, Senior Minister’s Office is of no use, Zongo Development Ministry has not developed any Zongo, it is just a trick to win Zongo votes. 

How can we have a Ministry for Sanitation and have a Ministry for Environment? Isn’t it the same environment we want to sanitize? If we insist on having a sanitation ministry it’s mandate must be to sanitize the mindset of public officials not the environment because public sector reforms commission or agency or whatever is a total waste of taxpayer’s money!!! 

How can we have a Business Development Ministry and have a Ministry for Trade and Industry and have a Special Initiatives Ministry and have a One District One Factory Secretariat? How can we have a Ministry of Transport and have a Ministry for Railways and have a ministry for Aviation and have the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority. One day we will have a ministry for Okada and a ministry for taxi and a ministry for uber!!! 

Ghana just took 1 billion dollars in aid from the IMF. What is the use of a Ghana beyond aid secretariat when you continue to receive aid left right center?

These ministries and agencies spend more on salaries and V8s than their mandate. If we scrap them we will save a lot which will help bring our economy back to life.

Source: dailymailgh.com

The U.K. will begin human trials of a coronavirus vaccine Thursday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, as he argued that the government’s strategy for fighting the disease had succeeded.

“In the long run, the best way to defeat coronavirus is through a vaccine,” Hancock told the government’s daily news conference. “The U.K. is at the front of the global effort. We have put more money than any other country into a global search for a vaccine and, for all the efforts around the world, two of the leading vaccine developments are taking place here at home.”

The trials will be of a drug developed at Oxford University. Hancock said the government would give 20 million pounds ($25 million) to support the research. “In normal times, reaching this stage would take years,” he said. Another 20.5 million pounds will go to a separate project at London’s Imperial College.

Hancock was trying to show progress as the government faces criticism over shortages of protective medical equipment. He was speaking on the day that the Office for National Statistics released data showing the dramatic toll of the virus. It said that in the week ending April 10, 18,516 deaths had been registered, the highest weekly number in more than two decades and 76% more than the average for that week.

Complaints from health workers about the availability of personal protective equipment continue, but Hancock was keen to emphasize the government’s achievements. He said that with the number of people hospitalized with the virus declining, the ministers had achieved their goal of protecting the National Health Service from being overwhelmed.

“At no point in this crisis has anyone who could benefit from critical care been denied that care because there weren’t enough staff, or beds, or ventilators to treat them,” Hancock said.

His announcement came as:

A further 852 people were announced to have died in U.K. hospitals from the virus, a sharp increase from prior days, taking the total to 17,366.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told President Donald Trump that he was “feeling better and on the road to recovery,” according to the White House.

The government’s scientific advisory committee met to discuss whether the public should wear face masks.

But deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam told reporters the government didn’t want to do anything that might lead to shortages for medical staff.

The health secretary said the process for finding a vaccine would take “trial and error,” but he has told U.K. scientists leading the search he would “back them to the hilt and give them every resource they need” in order to succeed. “After all, the upside of being the first country in the world to develop a successful vaccine is so huge that I am throwing everything at it,” he said.

‘Balancing Act’

Van-Tam said the number of new cases being diagnosed in the U.K. remained high. “It isn’t clear there is an enormous downturn at this point,” he said. “The numbers are varying day to day, but they remain high and we remain in a situation of danger that we must take very seriously indeed.”

He also set out the difficulty facing governments in deciding how to ease restrictions on public activities. “We do at some point hope that we turn this curve down,” he said. The difficulty then, he said, was “easing some of the restrictions we are under without letting this virus just chase off again. That’s a really difficult balancing act.”

The U.K. has been in a nationwide lockdown since March 23 and will continue to be so for at least another three weeks.

Source: bloomberg.com

Ghanaians have been warned to adhere to the strict measures put in place by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the government to stop the spread of the COVID-19 or face a total lockdown and curfew.

According to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah if people do not adhere to social distancing, use hand sanitizers and wear the face mask then government will have no option than to introduce a more draconian measure in the movement of people.

He opined that if government observes an increase in the cases of infected persons, a total lockdown, and a curfew will be imposed as the President outlined in his address.

“If we continue adhering to the other measures, we don’t expect a spike of infections. The 14 other regions where there was no lockdown, we didn’t see any spike, but if people keep being stubborn, and there is a spike, a lockdown and a curfew will be imposed,” he said on Peace FM.

The minister’s caution comes on the back of large numbers of people flooding the markets and town on Monday, April 20 after President Akufo-Addo lifted the three-week partial lockdown that was imposed on Accra, Kumasi, Tema, and Kasoa.

A report revealed that most of the people who throng the markets after the lockdown was lifted are neither observing the social distancing rule nor wearing masks as directed by the President.

Ghana’s last update on COVID-19 indicates that the country has recorded 1,024 positive cases, 9 deaths, and 99 recoveries so far.

Source:ghleaks.com

• 

Ghanaian award-winning Gospel musician, Empress Gifty Adorye has shown huge love to her band as COVID-19 seems to continue with increasing numbers in Ghana and the world at large.

The versatile musician explained that most of the Bands in Ghana depend on live band shows to survive and in this crisis whereby they can not go out and perform, she took it upon herself that, she must also support them in a way to appreciate their efforts even during this bad times because most people tend to forget the people even around them who are in need and must be given the needed attention as well.

In a video sited by maxtymelive.com, the leader of the “EMPRESS BAND”, showed gratitude to the entire team and most especially to the Gifty Adorye for the support she has shown them. These foodstuffs include Rice, Oil, Sardines, Meat, and many more.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW :
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_R57AUpy6j/?igshid=6uw06l6fx5at

The Minister for Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh in an interview with Paul Adom Otchere on Good Evening Ghana Tuesday has said, government is considering the introduction of a special National Service for one year for Ghana’s Senior High School leavers if Covid-19 persists and schools remain shut for an “extended period”.

He explained that during the O-A Level periods, anytime there was an “Aluta” that disrupted the academic calendar, the government introduced National Service to cater for the disruption.

According to Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the government is keenly looking at that option should it become necessary. The Ministry is so far relying on E-Learning platforms to keep the schools running.

The West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) has also been suspended across Anglophone West Africa due to the threat of COVID-19. Students have been required to vacate schools, uncertain when they will return to earn their leaving credentials.

The cancellation of the exams and the broader health and societal effects of COVID-19 are unwelcome and worrying. But the cancellation does provide an opportunity to take a closer look at the exams and make sure that when students do return they will face a fair test.

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, announced the suspension of all educational activities in the country until further notice after the country recorded confirmed coronavirus cases.

Source:thrillernewsgh.com

Ghana has recorded 112 new COVID-19 cases making a total count of 1,154 with 120 recoveries.

This was announced by the Ghana Health Service at a press briefing to updates the nation on the COVID-19 management on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye at the press briefing explained new cases were detected in the cause of enhanced contact tracing and the general surveillance.

Dr. Patrick Aboagye said; “Under the general surveillance, we have 401 cases that have reported positive.”

“We still have the 115 travellers quarantined and tested positive and enhanced contact tracing in the last three weeks, we have 638 positives, bringing the number 1,154 cases as at today, April 22, 2020,”.

“Out of this, we have had about 120 recovered, It changed from the 99 in the last reporting,” he added.

Source: Sunnewsgh.com

• 

The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has revealed that the COVID-19 Trust Fund (CTF) is not directed to the central government, Sun News Gh can report.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said this in a ‘Minister’s press briefing’ on COVID-19 management in the country.

The Member of parliament for the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency emphasised that the CTF does not go directly to the central government, however, it passes through the Board of Trustees which is chaired by Justice Gloria Akufo.

He added that before the fund would be utilised it has to be done under the laws backing the CTF.

President Akufo Addo established the COVID-19 Trust Fund (CTF) to solicit for funds to help fight the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Source: Sunnewsgh.com

• 

Here is a compilation of some vital statistics from the first thirteen/fourteen games of the 2019/20 Ghana National Division One League.

It ranges from matches played in each zone, the number of goals scored, drawn games, home and away wins and overall statistics.

In all, 310 games were played in the first thirteen/fourteen weeks of the competition.

Zone Two recorded the highest number of goals with 213 goals in 103 games. In Zone Three, 200 goals were scored in 103 games. The Zone with the least number of goals was Zone One, where 189 goals were scored in 104 games.

In all, 602 goals were scored in the 310 games played across three zones, averaging 2.0 goals per match.

Apostles of Power soccer, B.A United lead Zone One table with 29 points after 13 round of games. Daboase Skyy FC also sit at the top of the Zone Two table with 28 points, one point better than second-placed Samartex FC. Oda Kotoku Royals also occupy the top spot in Zone Three with 26 points with only two goals separating them from second-placed Tema Youth.

Below is a breakdown of statistics in the first thirteen/fourteen matches of the first round of the 2019/20 Ghana National Division One League campaign:

Zone One

• 104 Games – 189 Goals – Average of 1.8 Goals per Match – 70 Wins – 54 Home wins – 16 Away wins – 34 Draws – 104 First Half Goals – 85 Second Half Goals – 379 Cautions – 13 Expulsions – Highest scoring: Week 10 – 23 goals – Lowest scoring: Week 9 with 6 goals – Week 10 recorded the highest wins with 8 matches – Week 9 with the lowest wins with 2 matches – Week 1 with the highest first half goals of 14 – Week 3 & 10 with the highest second half goals of 12

Zone Two

• 103 Games – 213 Goals – Average of 2.1 Goals per Match – 75 Wins – 52 Home wins – 23 Away wins – 28 Draws – 98 First Half Goals – 115 Second Half Goals – 370 Cautions – 18 Expulsions – Highest scoring: Week 2 with 28 goals – Lowest scoring: Week 1 with 9 goals – Week 2 & 7 recorded the highest win with 8 matches – Week 1 & 8 with the lowest wins of 4 matches – Week 2 with the highest first half goals of 13 – Week 2 & 13 with the highest second half goals of 15

Zone Three

• 103 Games – 200 Goals – Average of 1.9 Goals per match – 76 Wins – 48 Home wins – 28 Away wins – 27 Draws – 93 First Half Goals – 107 Second Half Goals – 360 Cautions – 14 Red Cards – Highest Scoring: Week 1, 5 & 10 – 20 goals – Lowest scoring: Week 13 with 8 goals – Week 4 recorded the highest wins with 8 – Week 13 with the lowest wins of 3 – Week 9 with the highest first half goals of 12 – Week 5 & 6 with the highest second half goals of 13

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• 

Ghana midfielder Mubarak Wakaso believes the two biggest political parties in the country- NPP and NDC-are partly to be blamed to the country’s 38-year trophy drought.

The Black Stars have not won a continental title since 1982 when they lifted the Africa Cup of Nations for the fourth time.

Since then, Ghana have come close on three occasions burned and crushed on the cusp of lifting the title in 1992, 2010 and 2015.

Wakaso, 0ne of the longest members of the current squad, feels the rivalry between the two parties is militating against the team’s title-winning chances.

He claims the national team does not get the get full ‘moral’ support from the two main political parties because of their own agendas.

Wakaso told Angel TV: ”I will speak the truth today. Do you know our problem about the game?

”Maybe we know but we don’t want to say it. But I think politics ruins the Blacks Stars at times. When NDC is in power, NPP doesn’t want us to win and vice versa.”

Source: GHANAsoccernet.com