President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday chaired Cabinet meeting virtually to discuss issues of national importance, including the unwavering management of the dreaded COVID-19 in the country.
“On Tuesday, 14th July, 2020, I chaired the 80th Cabinet Meeting of my Government from the Presidential Villa in Jubilee House. The meeting is being held virtually”, President Akufo-Addo stated.
This has effectively thrown into the dustbin of history; some media reports that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was going to chair the meeting because the President will not be able to do so even in an era of technology.
President Akufo-Addo went into a mandatory 14–day self-isolation about 12 days ago after a person in his inner circle tested positive for COVID -19.
A statement dated July 4 signed and issued by Minister for Information Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the President tested negative for COVID-19 but decided to self-isolate “out of abundance of caution.”
The decision, according to the government spokesperson was on the advice of doctors.
“The President will during this precautionary self-isolation period, be working from the Presidential Villa at the Jubilee House, Accra”, the statement explained.
President Akufo-Addo, while in self-isolation kept himself busier than usual as he decided to read all the memoranda and papers he could not read.
He shared his experience last Sunday when he joined some members of his Campaign Communications Advisory Team via Zoom.
The President and the team discussed several issues, among which was the vile allegation that he was scheming to disenfranchise some voters, particularly those in the Volta Region.
He dismissed allegation and underscored that the December 7 elections will be crucial as it is going to be “the first time where the immediate past president and the current president” contest each other.
“So the issue of the record is absolutely critical,” he told members of the communications team, adding that, “I think we have to be very, very insistent on looking at the record of the two leaders.”
Just after the engagement, a member of the team asked the President how he was faring in quarantine and responded, “All the memoranda and papers I have not read, I am reading them now.”
“I am finding myself extremely busy,” President Akufo-Addo added.