COVID-19: We Need To Up Our Game-- Alban Bagbin

Alban Bagbin

We often either hear or say this catchy line---'think outside the box'. It's a metaphor. And it simply means thinking differently, unconventionally or have a new perspective on an issue. Basically it gives one an edge over someone else.

When Alban S.K Bagbin, second deputy Speaker of Parliament had his day on the floor of the House during an update on COVID-19 by the health minister yesterday, he sought to do just that.

The Member of Parliament for Nandoli/Kalio Constituency urged the Government to double its efforts to deal with the dreadful pandemic, which he said the public needs to be informed as to how the administration is taking the opportunities availed to her.

"It's important for us to be informed as to how the Government is taking the opportunities along what they're doing at least to overcome the challenges we're facing as a country," he stated.

But what else did the MP say that caught my attention? It was this:--His repetitive gestures and seemingly probing questions that accentuated what he sought to underscore. It seemed he'd a sledgehammer hammering home the unconventional wisdom. Another, was his futuristic view about dealing with that which confronts us today. Mr. Bagbin looked beyond now and viewed a future which governments may not have to give handouts to say the vulnerable in society or subsidize the consumption of utilities in the event of a pandemic. Probably, there will be no need for partial or total lockdowns. And perhaps the leftists may have no qualms or disagreement with the right-wing group, because they could both agree to disagree without nick picking. Wouldn't that be cool?

According to the legislator, making information available to the public must be a key component as Government is making relentless efforts to contain and stop the spread of the pandemic.

"So we need to put information in the areas of investment...and is not just the GHS 600 million to try and support small and medium scale businesses.

That definitely is there," Mr. Bagbin noted.
"But in governance, there are a number of institutions that need to be supported by government, particularly the utilities. Let's subsidize the utilities but it's also imperative to find out what is Government doing to invest in those utilities so that in future we will not even need to come and say that Government will subsidize the consumption of these services."

Indeed that's thinking outside the box!
Sometimes we don't get it right and is not because we aren't smart but the challenges we face increasingly overwhelm us and we lose focus. Our selfish interests, be it political, tribal, cultural or status could also make us fail in finding solutions to a particular problem.

And last but not least, emotions and egos could play a major role too.

Mr Bagbin also touched on the uncertainties, doubts and misinformation about COVID-19, appealing to members not to be emotional about the subject.

According to him, the feedback he was getting from his constituents and people across the country suggests that a good majority don't believe COVID-19 is real. They think is a hoax.

Certainly, there are a lot of false theories out there. Some believe COVID-19 is a white man's disease, some have expressed misgivings about the numbers of recoveries including deaths, while others say the virus cannot come to Africa and so on and so forth.

It was perhaps against this backdrop that the MP asked that a shock therapy be applied.

“I believe that you have to apply the various strategies and measures according to the situation and the people you're living with. I was expecting even shock therapy to wake them up from slumber. I want to see on TV some evidence of death on admission” Mr Bagbin requested.

Mr Bagbin commended all the frontline workers including the president, security officers, and others for putting their lives on the line to assist in fighting the pandemic.

Ghana has recorded 183 more cases of COVID-19 bringing the nation's case count to 5,918, according to the latest figures released on May 19, 2020, by the Ghana Health Service.

By Gordon Offin-Amaniampong