Web Master
Information getting to The Herald suggest that President Nana Akufo-Addo, was last Saturday flown out of the country to London for COVID-19 treatment, after testing positive although a statement government said he had gone into self-isolation as a precautionary measure, but will be “working from the Presidential Villa at the Jubilee House, Accra.”
This paper’s sources inside the Jubilee House, reveal there has been a series of COVID-19 tests at the Presidency, and a couple President Akufo-Addo’s close aides and himself, tested positive.
Other sources have also acclaimed that preparations are now underway to have the President, who has been at the forefront with weekly national broadcast in the fight against COVID-19, flown out of the country.
But ahead of President’s status, his junior brother, Edward “Bumpty” Akufo-Addo, according to The Herald’s information had about five weeks ago, been flown out from Ghana, on a chartered Air Ambulance service to the UK for the same COVID-19 health condition.
Persons familiar with the subject, have said that Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah’s statement announcing that President Akufo-Addo was going into a 14-day self-isolation after getting exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, was carefully crafted not to raise suspicion and anxiety in the country.
“But the fact is that the President, has tested positive for the virus”, one other intelligence sources close to The Herald, insisted questioning why the President, was not taken to any of the COVID-19 designated health facilities in the country namely; the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) in Accra, the Bank Hospital and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Another intelligence officer, asked that at least a video be shown of the President living and working from the said isolation center, which the government statement claimed he was working from.
To her, if the President is only in self-isolation and not positive, he should do an national broadcast from there, to assure the nation.
Last night, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, in a statement dated July 4, 2020, announced that the President, Nana Akufo-Addo had embarked on a 14-day self-isolation after getting exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
“On the advice of doctors, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is from today, July 4, 2020, taking a fourteen (14) day precautionary self-isolation measure in compliance with COVID-19 protocols,” the statement added.
The statement noted that “the President has elected to do so after at least one person within his close circle tested positive for COVID-19 today.”
The statement said although President Akufo-Addo has tested negative for the virus, he has still decided self-isolate “out of the abundance of caution.”
“The President will during this precautionary self-isolation period, be working from the Presidential Villa at the Jubilee House, Accra,” the statement added.
A number of government appointees have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last few weeks.
A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah who also tested positive for the virus resigned because he visited a voter registration centre, contrary to advice by his doctor to self-isolate.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission and former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)Â Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly referred to as Sir John also died on July 1, 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as a result of COVID-19 complications.
The NPP’s campaign manager for the 2020 general elections, Peter Mac Manu who also tested positive for COVID-19 is also currently receiving treatment at the Korle Bu Hospital.
Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu also tested positive for the virus about three weeks ago and received treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby, also tested positive for the Coronavirus within the same period.
Mayor of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, K.K. Sam, who also tested positive for the disease, however passed on.
The MCE died on Friday, June 12, 2020, while receiving treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre where he was rushed to after falling sick.
The Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, was also detained at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) on June 24, 2020 over fears of COVID-19 infection.
Within the same period, Dan Botwe, the Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development was also admitted at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) “upon feeling unwell”.
Few weeks on, it is unclear whether both tested positive for COVID-19.
Ghana as of July 4, 2020, has recorded 19,388 COVID-19 cases. It follows the confirmation of 758 new cases by the Ghana Health Service.
In the meantime, the number of recoveries/discharges has been pegged at 14,330.
Ghana’s active cases currently stand at 4,491 with 117 deaths.
