Help stop COVID-19 this Easter – 5 Parties enjoin Ghanaians

Five political parties have appealed to Ghanaians to sacrifice the merriment often associated with Easter to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) also urged Ghanaians to use the period to share the little they had with the vulnerable and needy in these trying times.

These were contained in Easter messages issued on behalf of the NDC by its Chairman, Mr Samuel Ofoso Ampofo; the NPP by its General Secretary, Mr John Boadu; the PNC by its Chairman, Mr Bernard Mornah; the acting chairperson and leader of the CPP, Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim, and the Communication Director of the PPP, Mr Paa Kow Ackon.

NDC

In its message, the NDC said it was hopeful that Ghanaians would come out of the current situation stronger to carry on with the will of God on earth.

“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, churches are closed and the services and conventions that characterise the season have all been curtailed so that restrictions on movement and social distancing may assist in ending the scourge of the pandemic,” it noted.

“As our current tribulations mirror the redemptive suffering of our Lord and Saviour, may we also recognise our role to make our country great and strong,” it stated.

It commended all front-line workers, that is, the health and security services, for their outstanding role in this national crusade.

NPP

The NPP noted that ordinarily, the celebration of this auspicious milestone on the Christian calendar was characterised by church festivities and merrymaking because of its great significance.

It said it was the wish of the NPP that Easter 2020 would be no exception but the country was not in ordinary times due to COVID-19 pandemic.

It, therefore, called on Ghanaians to continue to make life-saving sacrifices by strictly observing the various health protocols needed to stave off this pandemic.

The statement said despite the laudable measures being rolled out by the government to deal with the COVID-19 situation “it shall also take God’s intervention to overcome this global health crisis.”

It called on Christians in particular, to use the occasion of Easter to intensify their prayers and other supplications to God for divinity to find favour with the world in these trying times.

PNC

The PNC reminded Ghanaians that defeating COVID-19 required individual and collective efforts.

It, therefore, called on Ghanaians to use the period to do a thorough introspection and contribute their part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The statement admonished all members of the PNC to support efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

“In these extraordinary times, we must all be prepared to sacrifice the merriment usually associated with an important occasion such as Easter in order to get out of the woods resulting from COVID-19,” it stated.

CPP

For its part, the CPP noted that the year 2020 had presented the world with the very difficult task of managing and living with the crisis of a pandemic in the Easter season.

It said the pandemic had exposed the inherent weaknesses regarding the country’s governance, development, environment, research and above all, attitudes.

The statement said COVID-19 presented Ghanaians with the opportunity to mobilise themselves for make a positive difference in the socia-economic development of society.

It said Ghana must come out of this pandemic renewed and better poised to fight its “battles against poverty, disease, illiteracy, unemployment, corruption, moral decadence and wilful dissipation of resources.”

PPP

The PPP said it was confident that as Christians celebrated Christ’s resurrection, “God would visit his people with a miracle to save the world from this novel coronavirus pandemic.”

While encouraging the practice of social distancing and staying at home, it urged Ghanaians to reach out and provide support for the homeless and orphans.