COVID-19: The Ghana Case

The report details Ghana's response to COVID-19 up to June 23, 2020, highlighting the tension between public health restrictions and economic survival. It describes the strain on health infrastructure, the government's financial interventions, and the socio-economic hardships faced by vulnerable groups and the informal sector. The text also notes the shift in national spending priorities, the local production of medical supplies, and the challenges of maintaining electoral processes during the pandemic.

• As of June 23, 2020, 100 days after the first cases were announced, Ghana recorded 14,568 cases, 10,907 recoveries, and 95 deaths, with infections spreading across all 16 administrative regions.
• The government implemented partial lockdowns in Accra, Kumasi, and Kasoa under the Imposition of Restrictions Act (2020), Act 1012, but lifted them after 21 days due to the risk of individuals and businesses losing their livelihoods.
• The pandemic severely impacted the informal sector, which comprises over 87% of economic actors in Ghana, leading to job and income losses during shutdowns.
• To address health infrastructure deficits, President Nana Akuffo Addo announced a project to build 88 hospitals within one year in districts currently lacking them.
• The government's financial response included an initial commitment of $100 million, GHS 600 million in support for SMEs, and various relief measures such as three months of free electricity and water for certain consumers.
• The pandemic forced a realignment of the national budget, potentially delaying other development priorities such as the construction and upgrade of road networks, especially as the Republic of China's economy was also affected.
• New public health regulations introduced the mandatory wearing of face masks, with severe penalties for non-compliance including fines between GHS 12,000 and GHS 60,000 or up to 10 years imprisonment.
• The crisis spurred local innovation and production of medical essentials, including PPEs, sanitizers by beverage companies, and ventilators by research institutions.

APA

Sarpong, E. T., & Obeng, G. (2020). COVID-19: The Ghana Case. Good Governance Africa. https://gga.org/covid-19-the-ghana-case/

Chicago

Sarpong, Edward Teye, and Gifty Obeng. COVID-19: The Ghana Case. Good Governance Africa, 2020. https://gga.org/covid-19-the-ghana-case/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sarpong |first1=Edward Teye |last2=Obeng |first2=Gifty |title=COVID-19: The Ghana Case |publisher=Good Governance Africa |date=21 August 2020 |url=https://gga.org/covid-19-the-ghana-case/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sarpong2020covid19, author = {Sarpong, Edward Teye and Obeng, Gifty}, title = {{COVID-19: The Ghana Case}}, institution = {Good Governance Africa}, year = {2020}, month = aug, url = {https://gga.org/covid-19-the-ghana-case/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }