The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has launched a book chronicling Ghana’s experience with the novel Corona virus. The launch of the book was held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra.
Authored by the Minister for Health Designate, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the book is titled Fellow Ghanaians: Telling Ghana’s COVID-19 Story.
It documents the nation’s journey of fear, facts, faith and fortune, all experienced during the doom’s day of the pandemic.
SPECIAL PLACE
President Akufo-Addo, who was the special guest of honour at the launch, expressed gratitude and humility over the title of the book, ‘Fellow Ghanaians’, which he said held a special place in his heart.
According to him, those words he authored during the crisis embodied the spirit of unity among Ghanaians, adding that ‘Fellow Ghanaians’ was not a mere title, but a reminder of the bond that unites the nation.
“This title holds a special place in my heart, not only because it resonates deeply with the words I authored during some of our nation’s most challenging moments, but also because it embodies the spirit of unity and solidarity that defines us as Ghanaians.
“Fellow Ghanaians is not just a title; it is a powerful reminder of the bond that unites us as a people, transcending tribe, religion, or political affiliation.
“It was a call to action, urging us to stand together in the face of the adversity of COVID-19 and to work tirelessly to win the fight against the pandemic,” President Akufo-Addo remarked.
“As we reflect on the pages of this book and the account it contains, let us remember the lessons we have learned and the progress we have made.
“Let us recommit ourselves to the values that bind us together as Ghanaians: compassion, resilience and solidarity,” President Akufo-Addo said.
RESPONSIBILITY
The President, whose update on the nation’s fight against COVID-19 was constant from 2020 to 2022, indicated that he used the phrase “Fellow Ghanaians” with a sense of responsibility and fellow feeling.
He remarked that, as president, he saw it as his duty to provide Ghanaians with regular updates on the situation and the measures the government was taking and to seek their support and cooperation.
“That is why I was a constant feature on your screens from 2020 to 2022, in the addresses that became popularly referred to as “Fellow Ghanaians” and I thank you for welcoming me so warmly into your homes.
“You listened to me; you cooperated with the government and with the health experts. You adhered to the enhanced hygiene and mask-wearing protocols, and a considerable number of you took the vaccines,” Akufo-Addo further remarked.
LEDZOKUKU
President Akufo-Addo commended Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye for his dedication and hard work, which have ensured that the stories of Ghana’s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic will be preserved for future generations.
According to the President, he was informed that the former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Dr. Okoe Boye, said one of the factors that led to his defeat in 2020 was his enforcement of the COVID-19 protocols in his constituency.
He is reported to have refused to allow the holding of the traditional Homowo festival that year.
“God willing, this year, I am sure the people of Ledzokuku will return him to Parliament,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
THE BOOK
The book essentially chronicles Ghana’s story from March 12, 2020 when the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Ghana, to 2022 when President Akufo-Addo declared that the pandemic was over in the Ghanaian jurisdiction.
It is a 14-chapter book chronicling the past, present and future of Ghana’s experience with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Broadcast journalist, Bernard Avle, made a brief review of the book, wetting the appetite of the guests, some of whom bought copies during the auction.
Dr. Okoe Boye said there are no commercial intentions on his part, as far as the book is concerned.
The proceeds from the sale of the book would be channelled to the construction of the LEKMA Hospital and Nkoranza in the Bono Region.
WORTH TELLING
In his address, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye said that the book “Fellow Ghanaians” captures the fears, battles, tears and triumphs of Ghanaians during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained that he took up the challenge of documenting the country’s COVID-19 fight because it was an experience worth sharing.
“Through all the bad times and the good times, I heard a voice saying this too shall pass. It was a confident voice, sometimes firm in tone, at other times mixed in pitch, especially those times when reports of hospital admission overflow and rumours of death permeated our homes and offices.
“One thing, however, remained; that voice kept on and on, bringing with it hope, guidelines, restrictions, lockdowns, social protection and at a point in time, vaccines. That same voice finally brought the goodness of the pandemic really coming to pass”, Dr. Okoe Boye said.
“It was that voice that gave all of us, myself in particular, the inspiration to put together our COVID-19 story in a way that is honest, factual, enduring, and honourable to the memory of all those loved ones we lost through COVID,” Bernard Okoe Boye added.
