President Nana Akufo-Addo has officially declared wearing face masks as not mandatory starting Monday, March 28.

This comes after nearly two years of battling the global pandemic, Covid-19, whereby a plethora of safety protocols had to be observed.

“With countries in the ECOWAS Community, especially in our neighbouring countries, presently, like us, recording very low levels of infections, and having significant numbers of our people vaccinated, and on the advice of the national Covid-19 Taskforce and the health experts, I have taken the decision to revise the Covid-19 Restrictions, enacted under E.I. 64.”

According to the President, “This review is premised on the background of rapidly declining infections, the relative success of the vaccination campaign being supervised by the Ghana Health Service, and the increased capacity developed in the public and private health sectors over the last two years”. 

During the 28^th update on Covid-19 measures, he disclosed that as of Friday, March 25, 2022, the total number of active cases stands at 72, with neither of the patients experiencing severe symptoms.

“Our Covid-19 treatment centres are empty, and the fourth wave appears to be over. In addition to these very low reported cases is the considerable improvement in the population’s availability and uptake of vaccines.” 

Buttressing government’s move on face masks not being mandatory, Akufo-Addo stated that even though the country hasn’t reached head immunity yet, a significant number of citizens have taken the jab.

“Whilst we have not achieved our national vaccination coverage target, it is significant to note that reasonable vaccination coverages have been achieved in the hotspots of infections, particularly in the urban areas of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi.

“Government is determined to use all means to increase the deployment of vaccination across the country to achieve our target of vaccinating some 20 million Ghanaians by June.” 

He, therefore, urged persons who haven’t taken the jab to do so and to desist from paying heed to conspiracy theorists who are still sceptical about the efficacy of the vaccine.

“It has been a year since my wife and I got vaccinated; it has not disrupted our physical wellbeing, neither has it caused us to be sick. We are, touch wood, hale and hearty, like the other 13.1 million Ghanaians who have been vaccinated.” 

President Akufo-Addo encouraged citizens to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices, and avoid overcrowded gatherings. 

With the country entering a state of emergency almost two years ago, and various measures having to be implemented to contain the spread of Covid-19, the President expressed the greatest gratitude of the nation to leadership and membership of the Ghana Health Service, to all other health workers, and to members of the Covid-19 taskforce for the outstanding work.

 “Ours was an all-inclusive national effort including the security services, public and private sector agencies, religious and chieftaincy institutions, charitable organisations, all of whom have helped in bringing us this far.

“I hope I will be forgiven if I single out the Church of Pentecost, the Catholic Church, and the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, for special praise. They all demonstrated exceptional love of country.”