President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has eulogised the efforts of the scientific community in Ghana for their significant contributions to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
The President made the recognition during an interaction with the Council of State at the Jubilee House on Tuesday.
The meeting is consistent with the president’s engagements with critical stakeholders in the country as the nation confronts the spread of the viral phenomenon in the country.
President Akufo-Addo noted how the scientists community in the country have risen to the occasion so far.
President Akufo-Addo noted that though wearing a face mask was much a safety regime against the spread of the COVID-19, its production should conform to acceptable standards to enhance their effectiveness in the control of the virus.
The President revealed that the Ministry of Health will soon establish guidelines and requirements for the production of face masks in the country.
“I know that lots of people are making face mask, but I think that for public health reasons, we should have minimum standards that go into the making of face mask.
“The Ministry of Health, I am hoping, any day eminently… before the week is out, will come out with guidelines on what should be the minimum requirement and standards for producing them,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo touched on the need to look ahead especially with the economy, emphasising on the need to outline the economic future after the pandemic.
The Chairperson of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Sriboe II, on behalf of the Council congratulated the President for his leadership during these times.
“It may be that you have come to the country at such a time like this. We are lucky, as a country, to have you as President at such a time as this. Your quote has been the quote of the year 2020, that you can bring the economy back to life but you cannot bring human beings back to life. Very prophetic and very insightful. Mr. President, we congratulate you on these.”
Congratulating the President on the able manner in which the crisis has been handled with the advent of COVID-19, the Council of State Chairperson added that the regular broadcasts have brought a lot of encouragement to the country.
“The very able manner in which you have handled the crisis that has beset this country with the advent of COVID-19…your regular broadcasts have really brought a lot of encouragement to the country, and, as if by design or accident, the cloth that you have been wearing has been depicting the mood of the country at that time.”
With the Council of State having made a donation of 300,000 examination gloves, a sizeable quantity of surgical masks, and other equipment, the Council of State Chair commended the efforts being made by the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and all other frontline actors in the battle against the pandemic.
