COVID-19: A test case for the implementation of our policies

A GNA Feature by Hannah Awadzi

Accra, March, 23, GNA - I was relating to the issue of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as something far from me, even though social media timelines were flooded with news about it, I use to think to myself, “what a hype.”

I started connecting to the issue when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the nation on Sunday 15th of March, spelling out certain dos and don’ts to help Ghanaians fight against the pandemic effectively.

The Monday after the President’s announcement, I had woken up early as usual to prepare my children for school; I had woken my son up early and rushed him through the morning to get him ready for his school bus which usually picks him up at 6:15 am.

When it was past 6:30 am and there was still no sign of the school bus, I decided to go onto WhatsApp; the school has a WhatsApp platform, only to read that the school is closed for the next four weeks following the President’s announcement last night.

Well…, was my response, let me relax, no need for the other children to even go to school, I knew that was going to happen with all the other schools. Lo and behold! When I resorted to the media, I got a clearer picture, schools has closed down for the next four weeks, ban on public gathering in force among others.

Even, a close relation of mine who was preparing to have a big wedding had to change plans, because the President has spoken and it was to be followed.

I got even happier at our level of compliance as citizens when the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, at the second media update held to brief Ghanaians on the pandemic - he brought together the Inter-Ministerial Committee who updated Ghanaians on what was happening in the various sectors.

Sitting behind my radio, I heard the person in charge of the transport sector report that they had had a meeting with the Ghana Private Road Transport Unions and have agreed that lorry stations have hand washing points and hand sanitizers in the various public transports (Trotro).

I laughed really hard, teasing myself that Eish! hand sanitizers in Trotro, quite impressive, I also spotted some Trotro drivers wearing hand gloves, a situation that made me burst out laughing anytime I sighted it.

At least they have heard something, even if they did not fully understand what was being communicated, I got the feeling that, the Trotro drivers know that we are in unusual times as the President put it which required a change in their attitude.

I also visited a super market in my neighbourhood and at the entrance stood a security man with a big bottle of hand sanitizer, one is required to sanitize his or her hands and then the door will be opened for you to enter.

As I pondered over all that is happening and even for the fact that people are even pushing for others to comply with the President’s directives, I got hope, I got high hopes for Ghana, hope that Ghana can really work if we all puts our minds to it.

Why does this give me hope? We are in a country where it is common knowledge that our policies do not work, yes at least the policies, I have tested do not really work, for example, Ghana passed the Disability Law over 10 years ago, by now, all public buildings should have been accessible and disability friendly, but that is not working.

The Inclusive Education policy, one of my favourite policies, favourite because I have a daughter who has cerebral palsy and that policy favours me and my family but no, one has to actually fight to get a child with cerebral palsy into school.

Thinking about our policy implementation with regards to COVID-19, I thought, perhaps, the President should announce all policies the way he announced the new directives for COVID-19 on the 15th of March.

May be, just may be that will make a difference, and oh! I realized one more thing, even the self-styled pastors who made noise that they were never going to close their churches were all advising their members to stay home on Sundays and possibly join in their services online.

I was happy when one pastor was arrested for holding a service against the President’s directive, if only our police service will continue to work this way. I mean to arrest heads of schools who refuse to admit children with disabilities because there is a policy on inclusive education, our policies will work.

Policies are policies and must be followed, I am glad that in these times, we have not had one political party say that as for us we don’t agree, that could sound quite funny but will go with implications of being punished.

Perhaps it is about time we punish those who are supposed to implement government policies and yet sit unconcerned and unbothered about implementing policies because it does not affect them.

For me, COVID-19 gives me hope, there are lessons being learnt and I believe that it is definitely a test case for implementing all our beautiful policies which remain in books and not on the ground.

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