The Ashanti Region has recorded 6,151 cases of coronavirus as at Monday, July 21, 2020, with a recovery rate of 90.0 percent yet residents and some opinion leaders keep criticizing implementations made by government.

Political opponents and some concerned members have questioned why citizens who flout on health protocols are not pinned by the law, something they define as a contributing factor to the spread of the virus yet the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah has knocked out comments and disclosed that the various administrators of the region are on track in dealing with situations.

He held that the various Metro, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are collaborating with the government in making sure that safety is remarked.

“Sometimes the criticisms are too many and if we want to do mass arrest, we will use buses. Assuming we arrest 20 people and put them in the bus and one is infected, if not careful, by the time you take them into prison cells where it’s even enclosed and airy, you spread the virus the more.

“So it is up to you to give support when using some measures to sanitize the system. We can all be contracted since we move along with the virus. We have not lost the fight. Let them come out with the facts,”

“Anyone who says we have lost the fight, I don’t know where the person is coming from. We 've put in various measures,” he ended.

Addressing the situation during the disinfection and clean up exercise in the Ashanti Region on Tuesday morning, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah explained that the numbers have added due to the economic influence Kumasi has on Ghana’s financial prudence.

He read that identifying the infected people is one key reason for the growth of cases, something that was not initially done. The Minister outlined that as far as the mortality rate is low, there is hope hence the Assembly’s new approach to making sure that enhanced protocols are maintained.

“The Ashanti Region is centrally located in the country so you always have transit passengers and residers. It is the most populated in the country and various forms of economic activities do go on here, it has been the economic nerve of this country especially in terms of commerce and it dates back historically.

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“It is not surprising when you have huge people in the region and the numbers are going up. We need to consider other factors; how many people have been tested, the contracted number, and mortality rate. To me, it’s better we test more and identify those who have the virus and isolate them than not testing and letting people go along and infect others.

He praised the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his resourceful decision in the fight against the pandemic. He challenged political opposition leaders and civilians against government policies to come out with facts in their claims rather than frustrate Ghanaians when given platforms to speak.

“We are doing quite well; even the big countries who are richer than us are battling. At least we have been able to contain the virus and the mortality rate is below 0.5%, which is a big achievement. The recoveries are also very low. Government is doing excellent well so anybody who feels the Nana Addo has failed should come out with what the government did wrong, what he should have done, and what he did not do.

“But just making sweeping statements to achieve some political interest is not accepted and taken by me.”