Deputy Trade Minister Visited Voter Registration Centres Knowing He Has Tested Positive For Covid-19

Deputy Trade Minister Visited Voter Registration Centres Knowing He Has Tested Positive For Covid-19

Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Kingsley Carlos Ahenkorah has admitted that he visited voter registration centres with full knowledge that he had tested positive for Covid-19. 

However, he sees nothing wrong with his actions. 

Defending his conduct in an interview on Asempa FM, Mr. Ahenkorah ,the MP for Team West, claimed that he adhered to all the social distancing and health protocols, implying that he did not put anyone at risk. He said he felt he needed to show up in a public place with his Covid-19 status because he did not want his constituency to speculate on his absence at the start of the voter registration exercise. 

In the interview, he denied reports that he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Korle Bu teaching hospital with Covid-19 complications. He said he was only at the isolation centre for overnight observation but was never at the ICU. 

He revealed that he was in the same ward with the CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John) when the former NPP general Secretary succumbed to Covid-19 complications on Wednesday evening. 

It was after the death of Sir John when news broke that Mr. Ahenkorah was also at Korle Bu for treatment. 

As the story of Mr. Ahenkorah's admission travelled farther,a footage was circulated on social media,showing the MP touring some voter registration centres on Tuesday. There was also a footage of him shaking hands,hugging and dancing with supporters after winning the NPP Parliamentary Primaries in his constituency. Many have described his actions as reckless, going against almost everything the government, especially, the President has been advising Ghanaians to stem the spread of the Covid-19. 

But speaking on Asempa FM's 'Esosil Sen' program on Thursday, July 2,2020, Mr. Ahenkorah said he only "decided to just pass through to see how the centre was operating" on Tuesday. 

In response to a question as to whether he was aware of his Covid-19 status,he said "oh yes of course. But it did not mean that I couldn't go out. Because my test results came out last week and according to my health directors, I could step out after one week. I only had to be careful about my social distancing and not to touch anybody and so on". 

Mr. Carlos Ahenkorah further explained that if he had not decided to step out on the first day of the voter registration, it would have given room for needless speculations about his whereabouts. 

" If I decided not to give the people that kind of appearance, people would be wondering where their MP is. But I can assure you that I am a very careful person and I was very careful about it",he claimed. 

He also described as 'speculative' any attempts to link the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the country to the recent NPP Parliamentary Primaries. 

He detailed the final moments of the life of Sir John. He disclosed that Sir John was in a hearty mood, looking forward to his discharge when he suddenly slumped in his bed and died - just moments after they had been served supper. Also in the ward with them was the governing party's campaign manager, Peter Mac Manu. 

"I was given my food about 8pm. Sir John was next. Suddenly,he fell on his back unto his bed. They (nurses) tried everything they could. He never woke up", he didn't have to die",he said.