#FixTheCountry Protests Draws Large Crowds in Ghana

By Ghana News Agency

Aug 4, 2021

#FixTheCountry protestors

The August 4th street protest by #FixTheCountry campaigners is likely to become a COVID-19 super spreader event with hundreds of demonstrators ignoring safety protocols.

Though the organisers had pledged to ensure strict observance of the COVID-19 protocols, they could not do so with large numbers of protestors drumming, dancing and singing with their facemasks dropped.

Social distancing was largely not observed as the demonstrators moved in groups, some, holding hands.

Thousands of young people, under the #FixTheCountry campaign this morning embarked on a demonstration from the Obra Spot at Circle.

It was to express their dissatisfaction about socio-economic situation challenges in the country and demand better governance from political leadership.

The demonstrators were clad in red and black, carrying placards, some of which read, “Pay People to work not to work”; “Change the 1992 Constitution”; ” We are suffering”, “The Youth are the future not oldmen” “Bring back La General Hospital” ” We want work”, “Fix Ghana”.

The march, started from the Obra Spot through the principal streets of the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Farisco, TUC, Kinbu, the Economic and Organized Crime Office, the Atta Mills Highway and ended at the Black Star Square.

Data from the Ghana Health Service indicate that the nation is experiencing a third wave of COVID-19 infections, driven by the Delta Variant of the virus with increased transmissibility rates globally.

The current total national COVID-19 active case is 6, 766, as of August 01, 2021, with the Volta, Bono and Bono East Regions being described as emerging hotspots.

The Delta variant, which was first detected in India and easily transmissible was first recorded in Ghana in April 2021 at the port of entry at the Kotoka International Airport.

The new variants in Ghana, has led to a rise in hospitalisation and Intensive Care Unit bed uptakes, and tragic deaths, which calls for urgent action.

Government through the GHS has moved to fortify its contact tracing, testing and treating campaigns, especially across the hotspots of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas.

It said COVID-19 treatment centres continue to be resourced with medical supplies, personal protection equipment, and health workers.