President Nana Akufo-Addo has delivered his fourth national televised address on Friday evening to give updates on government’s preemptive strategy as cases of Covid-19 soars.

The address outlined government moves and strategies to deal with the spread of the dreaded pandemic which has now claimed three lives in the country and more than 20,000 worldwide.

The president announced the establishment of a Covid-19 fund, to be managed by an independent Board of Trustees, and chaired by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo. The fund will receive donations and contributions from the public to assist the welfare of the needy and the vulnerable.

“I have directed the Controller General to pay my next three salaries i.e April, May and June into this fund. Let me also thank from the bottom of my heart, the church, financial institutions and indivudlas who’ve  already made donations to help in this fight,” he said.

Highlights of the address

President Akufo-Addo announced that effective Monday, 30th March, 2020 at 1 am under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), there will be restrictions on the movement of persons in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA, which include Awutu Senya East ), and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and contiguous districts, for a period of two (2) weeks or 14 days subject to review.

2. In Greater Accra, the following areas will be affected:

Accra Metropolis
-Tema Metropolis
-Tema West
-Kpone Katamanso
-Krowor
-Ledzokuku
-Adentan
Ashiaman
La-Nkwantanang-Madina
-La-Dade-Kotopon
-Okaikwei North
-Ablekuma North
-Ablekuma West
-Ablekuma Central
-Ayawaso East
-Ayawaso North
-Ayawaso West
-Ayawaso Central
-Ga North
-Ga West
-Ga South
-Ga Central
Ga East
-Korle-Klottey
-Weija/Gbawe
-Awutu Senya East

3. In the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area the following areas are affected:
*Kumasi Metropolis;
*Asokwa

Suame
*Old Tafo
*Oforikrom
*Asokore Mampong
*Kwadaso
*Atwima Nwabiagya
*Kwabre East
*Ejisu
*Afigya-Kwabre South
*Bosomtwe
*Atwima Kwanwoma
*Atwima Nwabiagya North

4. This means that everyone resident in these areas must stay at home for the next two weeks or 14 days, However, if you must go out, it must only be to get essential items such as food, water, medicine, undertake banking transactions, or to use public toilet facilities. But, as much as possible, stay at, h.ome.

5. There shall be, during this period, no inter-city movement of vehicles and aircraft for private or commercial purposes for the areas of the restrictive measures, except for vehicles and aircrafts providing essential services and those carrying cargo.

6.-Riders of motorbikes are not allowed to carry any additional person, and all intra-city passenger vehicles, such as trotros and taxis, must reduce the number of passengers in order to observe appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols.

7. All commercial vehicle stations shall observe appropriate hygiene protocols and social distancing.

8.Individuals and institutions providing the following services shall be exempted from the restrictions:
-Members of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary;
-Production, distribution and marketing of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medicine, paper and plastic packages.
-Environmental and sanitation activities;
-VALCO staff
-Road and Railway
construction workers;
-Mining workers;
-Fisherfolk;
-Members of the security agencies assigned lawful duties;
-The staff of electricity, water, telecommunications, e-commerce and digital service providers; and
-Fuel stations staff.

Previous address

In Akufo-Addo’s last address on Saturday, he announced the closure of all the nation’s borders.

All passengers arriving into the country from midnight of March 22 were also put under mandatory quarantine and screened for the virus.

A later directive was issued for all arrivals from March 12 to be traced and tested for virus.

Since then, pressure has mounted on the Jubilee House to lockdown the country.

Government has, however, been reluctant to do so citing economic concerns.

On Friday, Ghana confirmed four more cases taking its tally to 136.