Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Krowor constituency, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, has rejected the suggestion that the 48-hour notice preceding the lockdown implementation, defeated its purpose.

According to him, that period enabled residents in affected communities to adjust their lives before the restriction on movement was enforced.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation on Friday, March 27, announced the decision to restrict movements in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area which included Kasoa in the Central Region as well as Greater Kumasi.

The decision according to Nana Akufo-Addo, was to enable the country curb the rate of infection of the new coronavirus. It was to take effect on Monday, March 30, 2020.

However, following the announcement, hundreds if not thousands, of Ghanaians living or working in areas affected by the lockdown, started migrating to other parts of the country while panic shopping became the order of the day.

Some critics blamed the situation on the decision to allow the 48-hour gap in between the period of the announcement and when its implementation was to take place.

But speaking Wednesday, April 1, on Upfront on JoyNews TV, Dr Okoe Boye said allowing people to properly settle down in their comfort zone before the lockdown, was strategic and appropriate.

“Everywhere in the world, they don’t surprise people with lockdown especially when your societal architecture does not allow it,” the public health expert told Winston Amoah, host of the programme.

He argued that it was necessary to “give a window” for people who want to settle in their natural environment while at the same time, achieving the purpose of reducing the spread of the Covid-19.

He also commended the public for responding “so well” to the lockdown.

Watch the full discussion below.