Today, I read a lot about Covid-19 and other things but my research got me nowhere near my mission. I tried very much to appreciate and have a historical perspective of calamities. I read about world wars, the fall of the Roman Empire, Earthquakes, flood, Ebola and now the champion of all these enemies, covid-19.
My intention was to get the actions and inactions of the populace of the affected during and after the calamities. I got very confused because I was in a haste to understand the numerous issues, that is not how meaningful research is done and today is the first time I have had such unsuccessful research.
The panic resulting from the deadly virus and the anxieties around us, make us run faster than we can but we cannot actually tell where we would land though we must think positive and remain optimistic.
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In spite of my confusion, I have learnt some few lessons. I particularly realised that they were more catastrophic calamities in the past too. The people involved, helplessly, had to rely on their spiritual beings. It is necessary. I think for this, we have also done and are still doing.
One thing positive about this virus is that, it allows some space to think, innovate, research and adopt measures against it. Indeed, for flood and earthquakes that swallowed a multitude of people in the past, one had no opportunity of preventing them. If it is something Chile could prepare against, they would not have lost a significant proportion of their population.
Covid-19 unwrapped
Now what is my point?
This is the time for sacrifice. In such times, let us think of what we can do individually and collectively to win the fight; let’s not think of what we can get. This is why business-oriented minds should rethink. This is not a time for profit-making. Divert the profit to support government to implement measures.
Private financial institutions, enterprises and other profit organizations should sacrifice their profits to help the fight.
Public sector workers, as suggested by Hon Ablakwa, should be thinking of a possible salary cut to support the fight especially by motivating health workers.
The essence is that it would be a way of mitigating the dire economic repercussions that may come when the storm capsizes. You see, this point, many, especially public sector workers, may not agree with me but the truth is that if we do not sacrifice, we would or may get to a situation where the economy may crumble absolutely and cannot pay salaries. Prevention is better than cure. Government officials should not be left out, their salaries and other allowances should be cut down for the fight.
Also, the monies set aside for the implementation of certain government policies should be channelled into the fight. The one million dollar per constituency should be used for the fight.
The truth is that the uneven distribution of wealth or may I say, the inequalities that exist among our population may also be another challenge in the fight against Covid-19 if it persists and that is why individual sacrifices are very much needed!
Related: Lessons from Covid-19 in Italy: If People Were God
Reasonable Lockdown
While we do our part, we need a lockdown in own context. We cannot do a lockdown the way it is done elsewhere. Our economy may not able to support that. In our own lockdown, it should be akin to a curfew subject to review in other not to allow others to die with hunger.
Our lockdown should not be the one that should involve the provision of food and commodities to every citizen and payment of other allowances.
I am not an expert and I am not closer to becoming one but I must say we need a lockdown but our lockdown should be different from others.
The Church
I am very disappointed in the church. Many of our churches, we have contributed our mites and made them very rich. Some of the pastors of these churches live in luxury. They splash money around when the travel out of the shores of our country. Many of these churches are richer than business enterprises yet they have abandoned those who made them whom they are, to battle all alone. That isn’t compassion. It is wickedness!
The pastors should bring out the millions of dollars and the millions of cedis they are keeping, and extend compassion to the marginalized. If this is not done, and they allow the people to battle alone, they would learn a lesson when we get to the promised land so far as this fight is concerned.
Let’s pray, let’s sacrifice and let’s continue to adhere to the preventive measures.
#stopthespread
Covid-19 Post by Denis Andaban
The village boy from DBI
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