General News of Monday, 20 April 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Coronavirus: Public sector salaries will be paid in full – Information Minister

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has hinted that public sector workers who were affected by the partial lockdown imposed on Accra, Tema and Kumasi will, at the end of the month, be paid their due salaries in full.

He said, “Public sector salaries it is my understanding that it would be paid in full.”

The Minister made this known while addressing concerns on JoyNews TV prior to the president’s seventh address to the nation on measures taken so far to fight the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus.

According to him, the government has made adequate plans to remunerate public sector workers and other non-essential workers who were either asked to stay home or work from work as a result of the lockdown.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his previous addresses announced a partial lockdown in the country as a way of containing the spread of the virus and enhance contact tracing.

In subsequent addresses, some incentives were announced for both public and private sector workers who have been at the forefront in the fight against the virus.

Partial lockdown lifted

Meanwhile, after three weeks of imposed restrictions on the movement of persons within some parts of Greater Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi, the president has announced an end to the lockdown.

According to the President, this is to give government the opportunity to try to contain the spread of the virus, scale-up effectively the tracing of persons who had come into contact with infected persons, test them for the virus and quarantine those who tested positive and isolate them for treatment.

This was announced by President during his live televised address to the nation today, Sunday, April 19, 2020.

Although the lifting of the restrictions may come as a reprieve to the many whose livelihoods may have been hit hard following the imposition, access to some major sectors remains restricted.