Prosecute Carlos Ahenkorah for breaching COVID-19 protocols – OccupyGhana to Nana Addo

The call comes after the MP admitted he knew his COVID-19 status yet he went to some voter registration centres in his constituency.

He, however, said he was very cautious and made sure he didn't interact directly with anybody.

Ahenkorah, who doubles as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, made this disclosure on Accra-based Citi FM after coming under intense criticism for that behavior.

"Yes, I have COVID-19 but on the first day of the registration, there was a problem at one of the centres. But knowing my status that I am asymptomatic, I visited only one centre to check on the issue. I never got in the midst of people.

"I drove in my car and got there, got down, and spoke far away with the EC officer who explained the issue to me. I told her I will report this to their boss and then I just left."

"I was very careful. It is important for people like us to know their status because whether you like it not, we will go into the midst of people," he added.

OccupyGhana in a statement described Ahenkorah's action as 'despicable, outrageous and selfish'.

"We also call on the police to investigate his actions, and if found to have breached the law, to prosecute him. We also call on the New Patriotic Party to withdraw him as their candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections," it said.

However, Carlos Ahenkorah has resigned from his position following his admission of breaching the COVID-19 protocols after testing positive for the virus.

A statement issued Friday, July 3, and signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, said Ahenkorah's resignation was with immediate effect.

Below is the full press statement from OccupyGhana

OCCUPYGHANA® DEMANDS THE DISMISSAL, PROSECUTION, AND WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDATURE OF CARLOS AHENKORAH

OccupyGhana joins countless Ghanaians in registering our chagrin and disappointment with the behaviour and actions of Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Mr. Carlos Ahenkorah, MP. He has admitted that after testing positive for COVID-19, and before obtaining a subsequent negative test, he recklessly and callously put himself in the public space, visiting registration centres in the Tema West Constituency.

By this, he put his fellow citizens at such a high risk of contracting the coronavirus disease. As a minister of the state of a government that is battling hard against this pandemic, he has shown a remarkable lack of good sense on the social and physical distancing that is required by law, on the pain of criminal prosecution.

His actions show gross disrespect to the pronouncements of the President concerning keeping the populace safe, and his behaviour makes a mockery of any enactments government has made in the fight against the coronavirus.

This is especially worrying in the wake of the political primaries, which in the main, also ignored the law and common sense of social and physical distancing, and the obvious struggle of the Electoral Commission to enforce these rules in the ongoing voter registration. We fear that the combination of these events and the irresponsible conduct of government officials such as Mr Ahenkorah will lead to an increase in infections and possibly, deaths.

These are the reasons why we find the deputy Minister’s conduct despicable, outrageous, and selfish. This conduct and his defensive nonchalance are not befitting of a person occupying the high offices of a Deputy Minister.

If no steps are taken against Mr Ahenkorah, it will cast the government as not just being hypocritical, but as being incapable of keeping the citizenry safe and incompetent to enforce laws it has made. Many have been taken to task for doing way less than Mr. Ahenkora has done, including not wearing a mask while driving alone.

We therefore respectfully call upon the President to remove him from office forthwith. We also call on the police to investigate his actions, and if found to have breached the law, to prosecute him. We also call on the New Patriotic Party to withdraw him as their candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

We conclude by urging the government and the Electoral Commission to ensure that participants in the ongoing voters’ registration fully comply with the COVID19 security, health, safety, and personal hygiene protocols.

For God and Country

OccupyGhana®