Correspondence from Eastern Region

Ghana on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, received its first tranche of the COVID-19 vaccines which government says is critical in bringing the pandemic to an end.

With many Ghanaians expressing relief in the development as a major step towards eradicating the prevalence of the virus, others are also expressing reservations about the whole vaccination exercise.

GhanaWeb’s Eastern Regional Correspondent, therefore, spoke with some Ghanaians in Lower Manya Krobo to weigh their perceptions, level of sensitization, reservations and preparedness to avail themselves for the exercise when it begins.

A trader, Baah Florence Abenor, 26, said though she's aware of the exercise, enough education must be done to sensitize Ghanaians.

She said "they say the government has brought medicine to give to the children, everyone. It [government] has done enough of the education but it must improve it," she said.

According to her, she'll avail herself for the exercise when it begins.

"They say if you inject it, it will help you to reduce the coronavirus," said Florence who urged others to do same.

Simon Nuertey, a 56-year-old security man told GhanaWeb that he's aware that the vaccination will help prevent one from contracting the disease.

He's however concerned of the lack of adequate sensitization of the public and urged government to intensity the education.

"As for me, of course, I'll go, I'll do it...it's a fine initiative, I'm calling on people to go and do it."

A sixty-five-year-old retired Navy Personnel, Moses Odjablah also applauded the importation and impending vaccination exercise but called on government to increase the awareness level of the general public.

"Yesterday [Wednesday], we heard Ghana took delivery of the vaccines so we're ready for them to come and give us a jab,” he noted.

"I'm not satisfied about education because people are having divergent views about the vaccines and so they have to do the proper education so that people will be aware and they'll see it as a friendly Jab."

Asked if he’ll partake in the vaccination, he said “I'll be the first man and I’m willing to lead a crusade to encourage others to do same.”

25-year-old Sarah Teye shared similar views.

Just like the others, she's willing to go for the vaccination but encouraged government to intensify the education.

"I'm not sure a lot of people are aware of it so it's time for us to educate people especially people in the rural areas to know more about it," said Sarah Teye.

For others like Georgina Aryeetey however, nothing will convince them to go for the vaccination as she believes government is hiding something from the public.

"The education that they [government] are doing, I think they are deceiving us, they're not telling us the truth so the best thing is for them to come out and tell us the truth," she demanded and vowed to never avail herself for the exercise.

"Me in particular, I'll not go for it, my son too will not go for it,” she vowed.

Mr. Prosper Sackitey shared a similar view. To him, the “low level of education” is good for the exercise which he said was unnecessary.

“First of all, I disagree with the importation of the vaccines so even if government is not doing anything to sensitize people, I agree very well because I don’t think it’s necessary,” he argued.

According to him, Ghana’s climatic conditions, unlike what pertains in the European countries is not conducive for the virus to thrive and therefore could not be a threat to Ghanaians.

He said “if the virus thrives in those cold conditions and its killing thousands of people, it doesn’t necessarily marry that in this hot weather too, it’ll be killing us that same way. We’re thirty-million people and so far only 600 people have died.”

To him, availation himself for the COVID-19 vaccine is the last thing he would do.

“I’m not going for it at all, zero. They should cancel that importation and redirect what has already been imported back to its destination,” he added.

Ezekiel Teye is a 34-year-old accountant and resident in Lower Manya Krobo. He raised concerns over the poor sensitisation being given the public on the impending vaccination exercise.

“I don't think so because there are a lot of people who're still ignorant of the whole situation concerning the pandemic itself and then the vaccination. Many people have their own perceptions about the vaccination and I don't think the people have been well educated, well informed,” he said.

Ezekiel is not convinced about the true intentions of the exercise and questioned why Africa should be the "testing ground for the vaccine."

Due to this, he stated strongly that he would not be availing himself for the exercise when government rolls it out.

"I don't see why these whites will create a vaccine and test it on the blacks. I'm not going to go for it because I don't see why the whites should think the blacks are Guinea pigs to be used for laboratory tests for vaccines that they have created which they have not used themselves," he said adding that he won't take the vaccine until he has enough proof that the whites have tested it on themselves.