Covid-19 crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Akufo-Addo has rejected allegations that his government misused funds donated to fight COVID-19.

Speaking in a national address on Sunday, May 28, Akufo-Addo said "the COVID-19 crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices."

The president attributed it to the high costs for programs like vaccination, school fumigation and provision of personal protective equipments (PPEs).

"The vaccination programme was expensive, very expensive. The fumigation of schools and other public places cost a lot of money," Akufo-Addo said.

The rebuttal comes after the opposition NDC party and others accused the government of using the pandemic as an excuse to loot state coffers, citing a recent Auditor-General's report which indicted some officials for improper use of funds.

But Akufo-Addo dismissed those claims, defending his administration's management of COVID-19 funds.

At the same time, he said Ghana no longer considers the pandemic a national emergency following a WHO recommendation.

The update marked Akufo-Addo's 29th address to the nation since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.