Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber (GITAC) has urged World Health Organization and World superpowers to stop singing negative chorus about Africa and applaud the continent for robust measures being taken to combat, contain and prevent spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
The Chamber’s observation comes at the period United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s latest report is predicting Africa could witness 300,000 deaths from Covid-19 this year even under the best-case scenario that cites modelling from Imperial College London.
But, in the worst-case scenario with no interventions against the novel virus, Africa could record 3.3 million deaths and 1.2 billion infections.
According to President of Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber Dominic Oduro-Antwi, WHO’s statistics shows that Africa has recorded relatively lowest number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths as compared to China, UK, USA, Russia and France which are Permanent Members of United Nations Security Council exercising Veto Power at the world’s highest decision making body.
With Italy, Germany, Iran and other developed countries being hit hard by thousands of Covid-19 cases, Mr. Oduro-Antwi is of the view that the spotlight ought to be on Africa’s efforts at combating, containment and spread of the pandemic.
Mr. Oduro-Antwi made these remarks in an exclusive interview with this reporter, Jerry Akornor on Saturday 18 April, 2020 in Accra.
According to him, WHO and its affiliates should learn to applaud Africa since the inception of Covid 19 and looking at the statistics all over the world, Africa has the lowest number of cases.
Why are we quiet? Or the world is waiting for Covid 19 cases in Africa to hit thousands and millions so that they put us back there in the dark?…he quizzed”.
President of Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber also wants International media to put the spotlight on successes chocked in diseases’ prevention, control and treatment of infections ailments and contributions by Africans to the world economies.
To him, the international media has deliberately done little to showcase the achievements of Africa but bent on preaching the bad news, disasters, conflict and war zones of Africa.
Speaking to Class FM, he noted that, good news of Africa are not given oxygen of publicity because they hardly find favours with the international media.
“I must say, it is about time Africans are praised when due and not always showing wars, sickness and disasters on international TV stations.
“Every country in the world has a challenge which Africa is not an exception but most of them do not wash their dirty clothes in public adding that, as a matter of fact ,whether it is early days yet or not for Covid-19 in Africa ,I think Africa must be praised for her effort using the same WHO statistics”.
Ghana’s Covid-19 cases currently stands at 641 with 8 deaths amidst lockdown of Greater Accra, Kumasi, Kasoa and Tema coupled with closure of borders.
In view of this, Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber is encouraging the Africa Continent to scale up compliance with social distancing protocols particularly during the distribution of foods to the needy as the President Akufo-Addo works around the clock to battle Covid-19 pandemic and ease lockdown pressures.
Source: Jerry Akornor, Broadcast Journalist/ Class 91.3FM/ jerryjohnakornor@yahoo.com
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