COVID-19: GHANA'S SENIOR MINISTER & OTHER APPOINTEES TEST POSITIVE

Ghana's Senior Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo has tested positive for the novel coronavirus .

The news was dissipated yesterday (July 7, 2020) by the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press briefing in Accra.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah expatiated that the disclosure was in consonance with the government's transparency and with the permission of the said minister.

He uttered : "In a separate development that has come to us this morning, Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo has been informed that his sample given for test has been returned positive. He will therefore as of today commence treatment for COVID-19 from home...".

● Government officials announce positive tests

Mr Osafo Maafo add up to the list of some government officials who have publicly declared the results of their COVID-19 tests.

The CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby, Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and former Deputy Trade and Industry Ministry Minister, Mr Carlos Ahenkorah are the other government appointees who have publicly announced testing positive.

The new viral ailment has also claimed the life of the CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka 'Sir John'. He reportedly died on July 1, 2020, from COVID-19 complications at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where he had been in intensive care.

Prior to this development, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, Mr Dan Botwe and the Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh also disclosed that they were awaiting results of their COVID-19 tests after they were admitted at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) on June , 2020.

When the Information Minister was querried about the results of these tests, he re-iterated that the government was not in the position to reveal the status of its officials without approval from the appointees.

Credit : Ministry of Information