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A Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe says the decision of the Akufo-Addo government to use calm approach to announce the COVID-19 situation instead of fear has not been helpful in the adherence to the safety protocols.

He stated that the government due to politics decided to make the conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic calm rather than making it look fearful to compel Ghanaians to comply with the safety protocols.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe insisted that government made the citizens relaxed about the danger of the cases when its communication machinery chose to be calm about the virus when the situation was worsening at the initial stage of the spread.

To him, the only way to have ensured compliance of the safety protocols was to spread fear that everyone was and still is susceptible to the COVID-19 pandemic at any time.

“The only way to ensure compliance was to spread fear that everyone is susceptible to the virus at any time but if the national conversation was to spread calm and not fear, people will not see it to be serious and dangerous,” he stated.

Listening to President Akufo-Addo’s 23rd address to the nation on COVID-19, Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe said it can be deduced that the case has moved from bad to worse and such situation can no longer be treated calmly.

“It is about fear; we have to let all Ghanaians know the height or the severity of the situation. A place like Nyaho Clinic is now a COVID-19 centre. It has moved beyond the test issue. Now, the normal residence where people can get admission for normal sickness, they have been asked to move out; it is now a dedicated COVID-19 centre,” he indicated.

He, however, pleaded with Ghanaians not to joke with the COVID-19 pandemic as people were seen relaxed especially during the festive season and the election period, currently contributing to the fast spread of the pandemic.

He emphasised that people went into the festive season without taking account of the COVID-19 preventive etiquettes; thus, the relaxed attitude of Ghanaians about the COVID-19 started from September to December 2020.