Coronavirus: Government rejects controversial Akufo-Addo billboard

The Akufo-Addo-led administration has renounced ownership of a billboard which displays the president’s caution to Ghanaians on the use of face masks to avert contracting the Novel Coronavirus.

The billboard in question bears a picture of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and a message from his latest address to the nation during the May Day celebration which reads; “wear a mask wherever you go, it will help protect you from the virus. Let’s defeat Covid-19 together.”

Surprisingly, the billboard which depicted a sharp contradiction between the president’s image and his message attracted some attacks from a section of Ghanaians, who claimed the president has not been practising what he preaches.

But in an attempt to provide some clarification to Ghanaians, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has Indicated that the billboard was not erected by government neither did the persons involved consult government.

In a tweet on Sunday, May 3, 2020, Mr Oppong Nkrumah cautioned all private persons who hope to undertake such activities to seek clearance from government before going ahead.

He re-emphasized that the president in his last address was sure to wear a face mask.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s tweet reads, “We appreciate all who seek to help Govt communicate at this time. But pls do well to engage with Govt on imaging and messaging. This billboard of the President without a mask is not from Govt. Note that at his last public appearance the President wore his mask till his speech.”

He added, “We have asked city authorities to pull this down. We encourage the well-intentioned advertisers to engage with us directly to avoid such mishaps in the future.”