COPIO urges Gov't not to heed to calls for total lockdown

News

Mustapha M. Yeboah, CEO of COPIO

COPIO urges Gov't not to heed to calls for total lockdown

The Centre of Posterity Interest Organization (COPIO) has urged the Government not to heed to the pressure for total lockdown of the country.

According to COPIO, the call for a total lockdown is borne out of panic without any statistical data, and would only result in breaking down the nation.

In a statement issued to the Media on Tuesday 14th April 2020 and signed by its CEO, Mr. Mustapha M. Yeboah, COPIO said the call for total lockdown should be the last option in order not to aggravate the suffering of the poor.

It said that a total lockdown would bring untold hardship onto the citizenry especially those working in small and medium enterprises.

In case of a total lockdown the statement indicated, the Government would have to compensate all those groups so they could manage any risk.

"The poor in society who have to depend on their daily activities for survival would be hardest hit if the policy of total lockdown is implemented in the country. We, Centre of Posterity Interest Organization would want to urge the government to invest its energy, time and other resources on the partial lockdown and again identify other vulnerable groups in the intervention who are mostly excluded and extend support for them," the statement indicated.

COPIO expressed its gratitude to the Government for putting in aggressive measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the free water and electricity rebates to the citizenry and food supply to the vulnerable groups in the lock down areas.

COPIO passionately appealed for more support for those who did not have shelter in the lockdown communities.

"The security apparatus, staff of the Social Welfare Department and other stakeholders should quickly identify the poor in those areas and provide them with necessary food and relief items to make life comfortable and bearable for them instead of calling for total lockdown".

Meanwhile, COPIO is an ally of rural community women, youth, children and the aged. The Organisation believes and practices women and general public empowerment and is motivated to help change the world by working on awareness, advocacy and support for individual women and girls, organizations and projects dedicated to the improvement of women and girls suffering from poverty, oppression, abuse and a lack of opportunities.