In a televised speech to the country on May 28, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo thanked Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for serving as his deputy.
The Vice President was singled out by the President for his continuous support during trying times, despite the President’s acknowledgment of the crucial role played by government authorities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am indebted to the Ministers of State, officials of the Presidency, led by the Chief of Staff, the Parliament and the Judiciary, and all the members of the brilliant COVID-19 Taskforce. I must make special mention of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was my reliable source of support in the darkest and most trying moments,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
In addition, President Akufo-Addo thanked a number of people, organisations, government agencies, and the labour movement for their support in Ghana’s fight against the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana was officially proclaimed over by the President at the speech. “In general, since the first case was confirmed in our nation on March 12, 2020, there have been two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) positive cases from two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) tests,” he said, providing the statistics.
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo spoke on the COVID-19 vaccination campaign’s success, noting that 25 million, 170 thousand, 388,2 doses of the vaccine had been delivered. Ten million, five hundred and thirty-six thousand, four hundred and twenty (10,536,420) persons have received their full dose of the vaccine, or 52.7% of the twenty million (20 million) people who were targeted, he continued. Moreover, booster doses were given to 4,599,883 (four million, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty three) persons.
These facts served as the basis for the significant choices reached on May 17 by the COVID-19 Taskforce, which was presided over by President Akufo-Addo. The President declared that all COVID-related limitations at airports and entry points have been eliminated, bringing the situation in terms of health entrance requirements back to what it was before COVID.
In addition, President Akufo-Addo emphasised the recently secured $3 billion IMF economy assistance facility, which he hopes would help Ghana’s economy recover from the pandemic’s effects.
But President Akufo-Addo didn’t waste any time in emphasising that the IMF loan won’t put an end to the country’s economic problems right away.