President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged the leadership of political parties in the country to join forces with the government in fighting the new coronavirus.
Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the various political parties at the Jubilee House Friday, April 3, 2020, President Akufo-Addo reminded the political party leaders that “this virus is a threat to our communities, society and nation.
“And we should be able, collectively, to find an input as to the measures that, on a societal basis, can be taken to arrest the spread, and, ultimately, lead to the defeat of this pandemic,” the President stated.
The meeting, which was at the invitation of the President, saw leaders of the leading political parties in attendance including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party, the National Democratic Party, the People’s National Convention, the Progressive People’s Party and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Rationale for meeting
Explaining the rationale for calling the meeting, President Akufo-Addo explained that the consultations he has so far held with stakeholders on combating the disease will not be complete without also meeting and talking with the political leaders of the nation.
According to President Akufo-Addo “it is essentially for us to have an opportunity to exchange information with each other, and, more than anything else, to agree on the measures that we can take as political leaders to ensure the unity of our nation at this critical time, and to stress the need for solidarity among ourselves.”
He continued: “The example of our own country and countries around the world, which we are all familiar with, is that the disease doesn’t have a political colour. It doesn’t know Democrats or Republicans, or Tories or Labour, or NDC or NPP. It is attacking human beings. That recognition is what should drive our collective response as a people to this pandemic.”