President Akufo-Addo has announced a two-week partial lockdown of Accra, Tema and Kumasi effective, today Monday, March 30, 2020.
According to the President, the decision to lockdown was taken to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 across the country,
So far Ghana has recorded 152 cases of the virus, including 5 deaths and 4 recoveries.
The announcement was made in a national address on Friday, March 27, 2020.
“Prevailing circumstances mean that stricter measures have to be put in place to contain and halt the spread of the virus within our country, especially in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi, which have been identified by the Ghana Health Service as the ‘hotspots’ of the infections”, the President said.
Pursuant to Imposition and Restriction Act 2020
“Effective 1 am on Monday, 30th March, some forty-eight hours from now, I have imposed, pursuant to the powers granted the President of the Republic, under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), restrictions on movement of persons in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA, which includes Awutu Senya East), and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and contiguous districts, for a period of two (2) weeks, subject to review.
“It will give us the opportunity to try to halt the spread of the virus, and scale-up effectively contact tracing of persons who have come into contact with infected persons, test them for the virus, and, if necessary, quarantine and isolate them for treatment, should they prove to have the virus,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo, however, exempted some essential service providers from the lockdown
The exempted services from the lockdown are as follows:
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;
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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.
The Minister of Information subsequently took to Twitter to explain that the media are also part of those exempted from the restrictions.
The list of affected areas are as follows
In Greater Accra, the following areas will be affected:
1. Accra Metropolis;
2. Tema Metropolis;
3. Tema West Municipality;
4. Ledzokuku Municipality;
5. Krowor Municipality;
6. Adentan Municipality;
7. Ashiaman Municipality;
8. La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality;
9. La-Dade-Kotopon Municipality;
10. Okaikwei North Municipality;
11. Ablekuma North Municipality;
12. Ablekuma West Municipality;
13. Ablekuma Central Municipality;
14. Ayawaso East Municipality;
15. Ayawaso North Municipality;
16. Ayawaso West Municipality;
17. Ayawaso Central Municipality
18. Ga West Municipality;
19. Ga North Municipality;
20. Ga Central Municipality;
21. Ga South Municipality;
22. Ga East Municipality;
23. Korle-Klottey Municipality;
24. Weija/Gbawe Municipality;
25. Kpone Katamanso Municipality; and
26. Awutu Senya East Municipality.
For the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area, the following areas are affected:
1. Kumasi Metropolis;
2. Asokwa Municipality;
3. Suame Municipality;
4. Old Tafo Municipality;
5. Oforikrom Municipality;
6. Asokore Mampong Municipality;
7. Kwadaso Municipality;
8. Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality;
9. Kwabre East Municipality;
10. Ejisu Municipality;
11. Afigya-Kwabre South District;
12. Bosomtwi District;
13. Atwima Kwanwoma District; and
14. Atwima Nwabiagya North District.
