Member of Parliament(MP) for Kumbungu Constituency in the Northern Region, Ras Mubarak, has opposed the call by some people that President Nana Akufo-Addo should lock down the country to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
According to him, the government does not have the financial muscle to lockdown the country as the Akufo-Addo government will find it difficult to pay salaries of public workers as well as support the private sector to pay its workers.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Ras Mubarak maintained that calling for total lockdown means that productivity will come to a halt, and without productivity, it will be difficult to pay salaries and eventually people will not have money to buy food, thus, poverty and hunger will set in the country.
“ . . probably your employers cannot pay you and if they can’t pay you, obviously time will come where you will find it difficult to get money to buy food, and if you don’t have money then the government will have to step in with a stimulus package . . . locking down means that we will need not less than probably 100 billion dollars to do the bailout per my own calculation,” he asserted.
With the projected money for the lockdown, Ras Mubarak wondered how the government will be able to raise the 100 billion dollars; reiterating that it is not certain how long the lockdown will last should the country decide to tow in that line.
“ . . the government will have to pay salaries from April to December and government will have to find a way to pay individuals like those selling spare parts and other private workers till the end of the coronavirus, because you can’t pay salaries of public workers and ignore those who are not public workers,” he projected.
He, therefore, advised the country to take it slowly as there is no adequate preparation for the lockdown looking at the current economic status of the country.
He praised the Akufo-Addo government for closing the country's borders; air, sea and land to contain the pandemic.
“It is good that we have closed all our borders, because almost all the COVID-19 cases that are recorded in the country are imported, and so the directives that the President has given is good for the country,” he said.
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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Ghana is always not ready for anything, NDC people
I dont believe any of the nations that locked down were actually prepared.The question is what are the alternatives available to us and what will be the impact of each of these alternatives. I will still opt for a lockdown now than for us to die like chickens.
can we equally stand and watch many people burying their dead? which one do we prefer? in Italy, average of 700 bodies is being buried on daily basis. the crematorium is overwhelmed. what about the hospitals in Ghana which do not have even beds to cater for patients in normal times? we need to pray, else we would be dying like no ones business. Prayers, my brothers and sisters. just be careful and pray. keep washing your hands with soap and running water.avoid the crowd. keep safe distances and God bless us all.
That tells you the big shiot we are in > lock down or die like chcken on the streets. it is a matter of which one do you prfer. no one country was prepared for lock down but they had to . a choice between dieing like chickens and stopping this virus from spreading
Classic! This is what is expected of a Parliamentarian at the debating level, at Committee Level and to sharing of views to the Public. Hon Raz Mubarac has consistently leaving up to expectations as a Legislature. We need to up our game in confronting the virus by improving our health service delivery, abiding the health tips and avoid coping other countries protocols approach. Ghana cant compare its National Reserve to US, China, France, Italy or even South Africa. As the virus know no boundary, religion, economic status, colour or race we need to abide to the expertise directives, research and improve our sanitation and hygiene needs. I believe we will overcome this problem with determination and innovation. Creativity they say is the mother of invention. To lock down on this early stage of COVID 19 will further aggravate our plight. God for us all.
The data infrastructure base of the country can not support a lockdown. Furthermore, Ghanaians are so so greedy that even if a lockdown is to be implemented, few will covert the government's dole out at the expense of the vulnerable. Use the fertilizer meant Planting for Food and Jobs: the fertilizers were being smuggled out of the country. No Patriotism among us. Which group of workers are even proposing sacrificing 5% or 10% of one month income to fight the COVID-19. The Rich, Chiefs, Academicians, Big Time Professionals and Big Time Politicians; how many of them is supporting the government in this fight? GREED. The MP has said the truth. The earlier three commentators voiced out the truth as though they are social workers. We should not be self-centred that too much. Lets come and support the Government to fight the VIRUS.
True talk. Most Ghanaians eat from what they make in a day. Mechanics,tailors, head porters, food sellers, and most in the informal sector eat from their daily earnings. They hardly are able to save for a rainy day. If they don't go to work it means no food for that day. That's what the MP is saying which is true.
The consequences of lockdown would be disastrous for the nation. Can we afford to cater for the vast population who struggle for daily survival? Look at the lapses and inadequacy of our basic needs especially food and water supply.
There is sense in what he is saying. I don't think most people even understand what lockdown is as we have never experienced it before. Ghana has no social support structures at all and there are even some people who cannot plan three consecutive meals continuous without stepping out of their house to engage in some form of economic activity to enable them feed. Unemployment rates in this country are already at tipping points and that means majority of the people do that have savings to be able to stock up for any lockdown. So whilst the lock down will certainly slow down the spread ,social and economic factors militate against such a move. In to replace the virus will be massive poverty which will literally kill so many people. African governments, unfortunately don't plan beyond winning the next elections and that has left the majority of their population in the quagmire of extreme poverty and vulnerability. So we need to be practical here and not rush into something we do not understand.
Concert man