The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will today, March 1, 2021, publicly receive shots of the newly arrived COVID-19 vaccines.

The two leaders will take the jab together with their wives, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia respectively.

The move is to boost public confidence in the safety and efficacy of the AstraZenecaCOVID-19 vaccine that has been approved for use in Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo announced this during his 24th COVID-19 address to Ghanaians on Sunday.

He said the vaccination will take place at two separate health facilities for both families.

“As your President, I want to assure you that the vaccine is safe. That is why on Monday, 1st March, ahead of the commencement of the vaccination programme on Tuesday, 2nd March, my wife the First Lady, the Vice President, his wife the Second Lady, and I will take the vaccine publicly at two health facilities in Accra,” Nana Akufo-Addo indicated as quoted by citinewsroom.

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On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, other key public officials including the Speaker and Members of Parliament, the Chief Justice and Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, Chairperson and Members of the Council of State, the Chief of Staff and senior officials at the Office of the President will take the jab publicly.

The rest are prominent personalities like some Eminent Clergy, the National Chief Imam, the Asantehene, the Ga Mantse, and some media practitioners.

“This is being done because the vaccine will help protect us against the impact of COVID-19 on our health. It is also a major catalyst to restoring livelihoods and the national economy to the robust level it belongs”, President Akufo-Addo noted.

He thus called for an all hands-on deck approach for a successful vaccination programme saying, “I encourage faith-based groups, civil society, media and all Ghanaians to support the public education campaign associated with the exercise.”