COVID-19: World leaders have failed electorates – Attoh Quarshie

Veteran politician has called on electorates all over the world to vote against governments in the wake of the epidemic novel corona virus (COVID-19) and its response.

Mr. Joshua Attoh Quarshie said during elections, politicians give out free gift such as bags of rice, edible oil; television sets, money, outboard motors, and other valuables to electorates but these same politicians have not been able to provide basic needs to stay safe and prevent the spread of the epidemic when the needs arise.

Globally, the coronavirus has killed 16,558 people and affected 381,761 people as of March 24, 2020.

In Ghana, the virus has affected 132 and killed three as at March 26, 2020, and health expert believes the figure could increase.

Speaking in an interview on the issue, Mr. Attoh Quarshie observed that “politicians all over the world, especially in Africa, do not have a love for their subjects”.

“During elections time, they [politicians] give out TV, rice, and other valuables but when the disease came, common handwashing soaps, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are being given to their agents to sell and make money. It should have been shared free to the people”.

Mr. Attoh explained that “hand gloves, sanitizers, nose masks and other protective should have been distributed to the citizens free but not to sell them at exorbitant prices”.

“It's not just Ghana but the whole world. Almost every country is selling hand gloves and sanitizer to the citizens so the people should know that government everywhere show no love for their citizens, likewise Rev fathers, imams, pastors, whose duties were to preach in their churches and mosques and to invite medical doctors at their own expense to their various churches and mosques to educate the congregations on the virus but they rather collect money from them”.

He said “the same as our native chiefs”.

The veteran, therefore, accused the opposition political parties of also doing nothing to put the government on its toes to do the right thing in fighting against the virus.

“The opposition parties are weak and pastors are also collecting money from their congregations. That is wickedness. American is given free sanitizers and other needed items to its citizens but the prices of these good are increased in Africa and parts of the world”.

“In Africa, it is an opportunity for businessmen and women. They encourage the government, PMs, chiefs, rev fathers, to put heavy loads on their subjects physically and spiritually, when they are worrying to get money to buy these items, they are also worrying against this deadly virus”.

   The Order of Volta of Star national award winner noted that “those who voted for such people in government should not vote for them again”.

“This shows that those selling hand gloves, hand soap, nose masks, do not care about the people and those selling them should stop”.

He called on the electorate to boycott any election because their leaders have failed them.

“We should boycott elections internationally, likewise the chiefs who are supposed to beat gongon in their jurisdictions but have failed, and those chiefs must be distooled because they showed no love for their subjects”.

He said “the same thing applies to ‘kangaroo’ rev fathers and Imams”.

He questioned that “what excuse would they give to their people when they need the support of their subjects”.

“When chiefs, imams, counsellors and MPs approach their subjects to think about the welfare of their subjects, what would they tell them?” he queried.

“The same thing to the kangaroo churches who go after peoples wives and money and nothing else”, he said.

Mr. Attoh Quarshie advised that “we must ignore those who come to us with the sweet mouth during the campaign for our votes, particularly in Africa, to be MPs, council members and chiefs”.

“If the COVID-19 had taken them to the grave, would they have come to campaign to them at the graveyard?”, he queried.

The veteran said “so long as the virus is a concern, what were the preparations by the government all over the world for the citizens? I am appealing that they must make provision for to save lives”.