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Yesterday in the news, the opposition gave the government a three-day
ultimatum to bring home Ghanaians stranded in China due to the Corona virus.
Apparently, students have run out of food supplies, but they cannot go out,
which means they are probably starving. Of course, if they are not infected,
they probably will be better off leaving China, especially, with the
information that Wuhan authorities concealed vital information from the public.
The opposition is suggesting that the affected be quarantined in Ghana.
Countries are evacuating their residents in China, so if Ghana followed suit,
it would be in order. The major concern would be the usual Ghanaian attitude.
Countries such as Australia can mark out a location as a quarantine
area, and affected Australians would comply, out of duty and conscientiousness.
That cannot be guaranteed in Ghana, where people usually disrespect rules and
regulations and sacrifice pragmatism for religious gullibility. Whichever
location would be designated may not be beyond the reach of sensational and
dubious people of God. Such might attribute infection, should there be any, to
the witches and offer to pray for the infected to be released from the powers
of witchcraft.
There is also the danger from people of influence such as politicians,
rulers, business people, executives and other personalities in high places.
Such might use their connections to get release papers from the high powers
that be, so that their quarantined relatives and acquaintances might be granted
permission to leave the limited space in order to rejoin the larger community.
Of course, such ones might provide the nauseous excuse: Nyame nti, biribiara nsi", which literally translates, due to
protection from God, nothing will happen, never mind that amidst this chorus,
millions die every year when they could have lived. But we are averse to
pragmatism.
The most probable explanation for not having worked ourselves to
extinction due to our acts of omission is that “Africans gems are not harmful”,
as we say in Ghana. However, we are in unknown waters here. The Corona virus is
definitely not African and definitely, definitely harmful, worse, fatal.
Therefore, should our people be brought home for quarantine, and should the
people resort to the usual Ghanaian nefarious ways, we can be sure that the
Corona Virus, should any have happened to have brought some home, would attack and
kill swiftly and mercilessly. Not even Ebola could be relied upon to fight the Corona – virus to virus,
savagery versus savagery! I just wish that the opposition had added suggestions
about safe quarantining measures. Whether we are here at home, or they are in
China and must be rescued, Ghanaians are Ghanaians and must be equally
respected and protected.
Therefore, since the ultimatum ends
tomorrow, Friday February 13, 2020, I am also giving the opposition 24-hours to
produce pragmatic measures regarding security that would ensure that the
evacuees would not put the lives of residents at home in jeopardy. Plans to evacuate
must be matched by security measures for ensuring that evacuees remain
quarantined until such time that it would be absolutely clear that they cannot infect
anyone before they would be allowed to reintegrate.
