Senior Minister, Osafo-Maafo tests positive for COVID-19

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo has tested positive for COVID-19.

This was announced by the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah today, July 7, 2020.

He made the announcement at a press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information to update Ghanaians on the country’s management of the virus.

“Senior Minister Osafo-Maafo has been informed that his sample taken has returned positive for COVID-19,” Oppong Nkrumah said.

Oppong Nkrumah added that the Senior Minister is, however, receiving treatment from home.

“As of today [July 7, 2020], he will commence treatment for COVID-19 from home, and in consonance with the transparency that we are bringing to Ghanaians, he has instructed that we inform the general public accordingly,” he added.

This comes on the back of reports that a number of government officials have tested positive for the virus.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has since Saturday, July 4, 2020, been on self-isolation after coming close to someone who tested positive for Coronavirus.

“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,” a statement from the Presidency announced over the weekend.

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 to 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.

Update on President Akufo-Addo self-isolation

Briefing Ghanaians on the state of the President, Oppong Nkrumah said Nana Akufo-Addo has been conducting government business via technology.

“The President continued his self-isolation while conducting the affairs of state at the Presidential Villa of the Jubilee House. Today is day three. The President has been conducting state business via telephone and other technology and has in particular been following up on the COVID-19 response programme as well us broad 2020 work plan of his administration,” the Information Minister noted.

Ghanaian politicians vs. Coronavirus

A number of government appointees had 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 Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly referred to as Sir John died on July 1, 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as a result of COVID-19 complications.

The New Patriotic Party’s campaign manager for the 2020 general elections, Peter Mac Manu also tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching 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 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 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 “upon feeling unwell”.

Few weeks on, it is unclear whether or not, both tested positive for COVID-19.