The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has become the latest to condemn the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the disregard of COVID-19 safety protocol during the funeral of the party’s former General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.
Last Thursday and Friday, pictures and videos from the highly publicised funeral of the former CEO of the Forestry Commission went viral as some mourners could be seen neither wearing nose masks nor observing social distancing.
In one of the videos, scores of NPP supporters who were not wearing nose masks, clad in funeral attire and T-shirts, huddled around the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia when his delegation arrived at the funeral grounds.
On Sunday, pressure group, OccupyGhana, condemned the governing party for what it says was a wanton breach of the safety protocol at the funeral, calling it a potential super spreader.
Pathetic, failed, and oppressed Ghana.
— SEA (@SandraEsinam1) June 3, 2021
A group of Ghanaian youth yearning for a better Ghana wanted to protest but were denied because the state claim we are in a pandemic.
Look at us celebrating and glorifying a man who died of covid?
Shame on us #FixTheCountry pic.twitter.com/bFCEhVz4HN
The GMA, in a statement signed by its President, Dr Frank Ankobea, called for punitive action against organisers of the event because the breaches of the COVID-19 safety protocol flouted an Executive order.
The GMA said the IGP, Jame Oppong Boanuh, must initiative a process to prosecute organisers of the mammoth funeral.
“This mass gathering of people with complete disregard for physical distancing and limited use of face masks occurred in the wake of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to some Africa countries to prepares for what appears to be a new surge in Covid-19 cases in Africa.
“The GMA was, therefore, shocked to observe that a nation like ours struggling to vaccinate its population will permit such a potential super spreader event to take place and be attended by top government functionaries including the President and his Vice President,†it said.
“We should not forget that the surge was occasioned by similar mass gathering associated with the political activities and Christmas festivities in November and December 2020.
“The GMA condemns such activities that violate our protocols and has the tendency to reverse all the gains made in the fight against Covid-19,†Dr Ankobea said.
In February, President Nana Akufo-Addo banned concerts, theatrical performances, parties, weddings, and funerals in a bid to hold the spread of the virus.
Private funerals consisting of not more than 25 people were allowed, however, over a thousand party supporters and mourners were at the funeral of the former CEO of the Forestry Commission.