COVID-19: John Mahama 'feeds' 20,000 households with food items

The former president said the donation is to help struggling families to adhere to government's directive of staying home in order to flatten the coronavirus curb.

Addressing the media after the doantion, John Mahama said the situation faced by many bread winners in homes across the areas affected by the partial lockdown and beyond is dire,

"Many are either unable to go about their income-generating activities, or their work places have shut down as a result of the lockdown or the pandemic."

"Yesterday, Monday, I received a mail from a young school teacher in Adenta who lamented that she is suffering and starving because school has closed down and her employers have still not paid them for the months of February and March. She is not alone in this situation. In many such cases, we have tried to lend support as far as our means would allow."

He also said overcrowding at the various food distribution centres defeats the purpose of the social distancing protocol which is key in preventing the spread of coronavirus which has killed eight out of the six hundred and sixty-three cases confirmed so far.

John Mahama Pulse Ghana

“This includes the distribution of food to deprived communities.

“Reports from the field are a worry, both in terms of the quality of the hot meals served and the mode of the distribution of the food.

“The overcrowding and general scramble that characterise this exercise defeats the protocol of social distancing and can help accelerate the spread of the virus.”