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Cabinet retreat underway to review COVID-19 impact on economy

A three-day cabinet retreat is underway to review data gathered on the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on all sectors of Ghana’s economy and develop measures to address challenges.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra yesterday, Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the meeting would enable cabinet discuss the impact and proposed recommendations to rebuild the economy.

He noted that all Ministers have been directed to present reports about the effect of the disease on their respective sectors and proffer economic recovery recommendations.

“The President has instructed all ministers to present reports on their sectors and proffer recommendations for recovery at a cabinet retreat which started yesterday, Thursday and will go on for the next three days.

“The government will examine the observed impact, the recommendations that are being made, the implications and will enhance preparations for laying same before Parliament during the mid-year review,” Mr Nkrumah said.

He added that “President Akufo-Addo and his cabinet will over the next three days commence a process of examining data so far gathered on the impact of COVID-19 across all sectors in Ghana.”

Discussions from the retreat, he said would inform government’s 2020 mid-year budget review.

Ghana’s COVID-19 case count currently stands at 3,091 with a death total of 18 and 303 recoveries.

Of the new cases recorded, 248 came from the Greater Accra Region which leads with 2,579 cases now.

The cases were confirmed in districts including the Accra Metropolis, Korle Klottey, Ablekuma South and Ashaiman municipalities, among others.

At least, 124 others were identified in other regions including the Eastern, Central and Western with five people said to be in critical conditions.

The Bono Region is the latest region to confirm one case of COVID-19, which was detected in the Jaman North District.

An update by the Ghana Health Service yesterday revealed that 2,332 of the country’s total tally had come from contact tracing, 944 from routine surveillance and 115 from persons who were held under mandatory quarantine.

It said that of the 18 deaths recorded in the country, 76 per cent were males and 23, females, indicating that majority of the casualties involved persons above age 60.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS

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