<<Print>>The Chief Executive Officer of the State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea, has asked the health authorities to be careful with using force to administer COVID-19 vaccines to Ghanaians.
With the rise of the new Coronavirus variant called Omicron, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has updated its vaccination directive.
According to the GHS, all unvaccinated Ghanaians and people with residential status returning to Ghana after 14 days from Monday midnight will be vaccinated on arrival.
Also, all persons 18 years or above arriving in the country are required to provide evidence of full vaccination for COVID-19.
This compulsory directive for all persons in the country to be vaccinated has been met with dissenting views.
The Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has condemned the directive saying in a Facebook post that "vaccination must be by choice and not by force. The imposition of compulsory COVID vaccination requirement on all Ghanaians traveling into and out of Ghana by the Ghana Health Service is reprehensible and an affront to the 1992 Constitution. And some of us are determined to fight this madness through every available legal means no matter the cost or stigma".
Ningo Prampram MP, Sam George also reacting to the directive argued, in a tweet, that the "compulsory vaccination upon entry to the Republic? Infringement of rights or public health policy? This is sound public health policy and a very good step by govt. I support it and hope it is implemented vigorously. Public health considerations supersede personal liberties".
Nana Akomea, on his part, also disagrees with the compulsory vaccination but subscribes to government placing restrictions on unvaccinated persons.
He argued that to vaccinate or not vaccinate should be one's choice to make, however, for the unvaccinated person not to put himself/herself and others at risk, it is incumbent on the government to restrict their movements to places and events.
He cautioned the authorities to exercise restraint in enforcing the compulsory vaccination mandate because forcing people to take the vaccine may have legal ramifications.
"That new order that you will be forced to vaccinate, if care is not taken, could be tested in the Supreme Court. When we say if you don't have it (vaccinated card), you won't be permitted to enter Ghana, then the choice is still yours but the way the information came that if you don't have it, you will be vaccinated at the airport becomes a force. The option should be you will not be allowed to enter," he said during Tuesday's "Kokrokoo" on Peace FM.
Nana Akomea, nonetheless, advised all Ghanaians to go for the vaccine jab to safeguard them and the country against the Coronavirus, stating though they have rights not to vaccinate, their "rights also come with responsibilities. Not all rights are absolute".