Traders who were affected by the partial lock down directive by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Kasoa and Tema have pronounced the president’s decision of lifting the ban as ‘best’ given that buyers and sellers when educated can observe the social distancing mandate, which is a key to constrain the spread of COVID-19.

The partial lock down method although was spoken as the best to control the novel pandemic yet the disturbed investors have revealed its immense role in liquidating capital of traders through feeding their various homes.

President Akufo-Addo in his 7th address to the nation since the outbreak of the coronavirus, announced the lifting of a partial lockdown that affected Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi with the announcement been met with mixed reactions. While some are happy, others have wondered why the lockdown was lifted, especially when Ghana has recorded 1042 cases, as of Sunday, April 19, 2020.

According to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, “The main reason our country has seen an increase in the number of confirmed cases over the last three (3) weeks is because of the decision we took aggressively to trace and test contacts of infected persons. This has enabled us to identify and isolate infected persons, protect the population from further infections, and contain better the spread of the virus,” he said.

SoireeNews on Monday toured the Kumasi Central Market to have people share their views on the outcome of the president’s decision.

Activities at the Dr. Mensah to Kejetia was unusual from the former days. Majority of people wore the nose masks and treaded carefully with lesser words when buying. Security men guided pedestrians and surveyed the places likely to be congested

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A section of traders seem to have issues with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly as a shopper by name, Gloria Boateng spoke that the Assembly is preventing them from selling which is conflicting the president’s speech.

“Nana spoke and authorized us to sell today. The Kumasi Metro is stopping us from selling and I just don’t understand. We have not contravened the social distancing instructions. They just don’t want us to sell. We have families to take care and the monies we borrowed have been consumed. We just have to make ends meet from today,” she said.

“The president has done for the decision taken. All we must do is to equip ourselves with the nose masks and apply the hand sanitizers. This will help us very well in the fight against the virus. Majority of the people depend on a day’s labor so to stay home for weeks without work is disturbing,” Mr. Yaw Okyere, a trader at Dr. Mensah said.

“The soldiers and police officers must still be at work. Where people flout on the directives, then the law can take it cause.

He advised his fellow sellers that the president’s conclusions are for the good of Ghanaians that is why he needs to be supported to alleviate the COVID-19 and make Ghana a better place to live again.

Ghana has so far recorded 1026 COVID-19 cases as at Sunday.