The Health Minister-designate Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has debunked claims of flouting President Akufo-Addo's directive on social gathering exceeding 10 or more people.

"The number there was less than 10 and I think for the restrictions, these gatherings were allowed," he added.

His comment comes after he was accused on Wednesday, by a member of the Appointment Committee, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, for flouting the President's directive by attending a birthday party of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) boss, Dr Lydia Dsane-Selby.

In his defence, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu disclosed that the party he attended was a "seriously restricted engagement" and had less than 10 people present.

President Akufo-Addo in his eighth televised broadcast to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country indicated that the ban on social gatherings should not exceed 25 persons.

Meanwhile, Mr. Agyeman-Manu, indicated that despite public perception that the country’s Covid-19 case count is being ‘massaged’, he believes the figures being churn out by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

But touching on new measures that will be put in place to ensure that government is able to control the current surge, the former Health Minister who has been re-nominated by President Akufo-Addo said, the strategies used over the last months have worked for the country, hence will be maintained.

“We have battled Covid for nearly 11 months. The strategies we have used have worked for us in Ghana.

"If you look at our deaths or even our infection rate at the point where we slowed down transmission to this level, we must be thankful and grateful to God and our President for leading the battle.