Actress Lydia Forson says she is “extremely disappointed” that Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia compared the COVID-19 pandemic to the erratic power supply popularly referred to as Dumsor that occurred under former President John Dramani Mahama.
This to her is because the coronavirus pandemic “ threatens our very human existence”.
Dr. Bawumia after chairing a COVID-19 meeting at the Jubilee house spoke to the press on May 4, 2020 insisting the Nana Akufo Addo led government has managed the COVID-19 situation better than what the erstwhile NDC administration did with the Dumsor Crisis.
“Under the NDC there was an internally generated crisis which was Dumsor, under the presidency of Nana Akuffo Addo there has been an externally generated crisis which is the global coronavirus pandemic.”
He then demanded his audience compare the management of the two
“I just want you to ask yourselves, how have these two crisis been managed…the dumsor crisis which crippled this economy for four years, what were the mitigating measures offered to businesses and individuals…”
Dr. Bawumia then drew a sharp contradiction between the handling of the two situations touting his governments “superior” management skills.
“ You look at the Coronavirus crisis…the President has reduced electricity tariffs, made it free for lifeline consumers, given free water for all Ghanaians for three months, [he] has made sure that there is a stimulus package of Ghc 600 million for businesses and we have seen domestic production of PPE’s, (Personal protective equipment) for our health workers locally….so I ask a simple question, who will you trust in a time of crisis, the answer I would say is very very clear, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo has shown leadership and concern for ordinary Ghanaians” .
The award-winning actress is however not pleased with the Vice Presidents comparison, commenting on a post on the Ministry of Information’s twitter page she wrote;
“I can’t believe we’re comparing DUMSOR to COVID-19, a pandemic that threatens our very human existence. I’m utterly disgusted and extremely disappointed by this comparison”.
She then called out the information minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah saying:
“I know if you were still on air you would have grilled anyone who made this statement. Smh.”
Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have now risen to 2,719 confirmed cases, 294 Recoveries, and 18 deaths.
