Coronavirus: Kumasi central market shut shortly after lifting lockdown

Authorities at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), have shut the central market hours after President Akufo-Addo lifted the lockdown imposed in the area, Starr FM reports.

It comes after some traders and customers refused to comply with the laid down social distancing protocols to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

According to the Accra-based station, most traders were seen without wearing face masks or gloves.

This is the second time the Kumasi central market has been closed for the same reasons.

On Sunday, April 19, 2020, President Akufo-Addo lifted a three-week lockdown imposed on Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi. These areas were identified as the hotspots for the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Announcing the lifting of restrictions of movements in his seventh address to the nation, President Akufo-Addo, however, maintained that the ban on public gatherings was still in force.

Schools, conferences as well as all religious activities were to remain shut.

His decision to lift the lockdown came at a time when Ghana’s case count had peaked to 1,042.

Several analysts have criticised the government’s move, by questioning the rationale behind the decision. One of such is the President of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies, Dr Ishmael Norman.

He questioned the sincerity of a statement made by President Akufo-Addo when he said the government knew how to bring back an ailing economy and not how to bring back lives.

“We’re on a slippery slop right now with this new approach, and only time will tell the dangers that we’re being exposed to. If Nana Akufo-Addo eloquently said we know how to bring ailing economy, but we don’t know how to bring back people that die, beautiful sentence, beautiful philosophy.

“At this moment, I wonder the sincerity with which he uttered those beautiful words of inspiration,” Dr Noman said.

Some Ghanaians took to social media to express their reactions to the decision to lift the lockdown at a time when Ghana’s cases had reached four figures.

With 1, 042 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ghana, the country has also recorded nine deaths and 99 recoveries.