Bernard Okoe-Boye, the Deputy Health Minister has rebuffed claims that an AFP report has undermined government’s claim that Ghana is leading Covid-19 tests in Africa.

Dr. Okoe-Boye, responding to the AFP report, presented his own data that showed Ghana is among the top three African countries testing more people for the new coronavirus.

He said told Emefa Apawu on JoyNews’ ‘Beyond the Lockdown’ on Sunday that the strides being made in Ghana’s testing capacity for the pandemic should be the primary focus.

“Our argument should not be whether we are one of the three, the first of the three or the second of the three,” said Dr. Okoe-Boye.

He said the focus should rather be placed on the fact that out of “54 African countries, we are part of those showing the way. This should make us proud as Ghanaians,” he said.

His comments follow the French News Agency’s fact check of President Akufo-Addo’s claim that Ghana “has administered more tests per million people than any other country in Africa.”

The AFP said the claim is false. According to AFP, it has found from available statistics that Ghana is behind South Africa and at least two other African countries.

The report led to government critics calling out the president for misleading the country but Dr. Okoe-Boye says the point that Ghana is making strides among 54 countries should not be lost.