The Inspector-General of Police has been petitioned to institute criminal action against a former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, for breaching the coronavirus protocols.
The petitioner, Enoch Agyapong, who is a resident of the Tema West Constituency, told the IGP in his petition that Mr Ahenkorah put the life of his constituents at risk by mingling with them while he tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr Ahenkorah admitted to moving about at a registration centre despite his COVID-19 positive status in media interviews and subsequently resigned.
Portions of the petition read: “As you are well aware, the whole world is in a COVID-19 pandemic and Ghana has not been spared. In view of that, the President, through the Ministry of Health, has put in necessary measures to arrest the spread of the virus, which have been generally termed as the COVID-19 protocols. Notorious among these protocols is the requirement that a person, who is diagnosed to be positive with the virus, must observe a mandatory 14-day isolation and tested negative before coming out to engage the public. It is worthy of note that, the president of the Republic, the first gentleman of the land, observed a mandatory 14-day isolation, after he was exposed to a COVID-19 patient.”
“Against these much-publicised protocols, the Honourable Member of Parliament was diagnosed positive with the COVID-19 virus on the 23 day of June 2020, which required the Honourable Member of Parliament to have observed a 14-day mandatory isolation immediately after he was told of his positive status. However, against the much-publicised protocols and all good reason, the Honourable Member of Parliament decided to embark on a tour of registration centres in our constituency and widely interacted with some of his constituents.”
Read the full petition below:
30TH JULY, 2020
THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE
GHANA POLICE SERVICE
HEADQUARTERS
ACCRA
Dear Sir,
PETITION TO COMMENCE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MR. CARLOS AHENKORAH, HONOURABLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR TEMA WEST CONSTITUENCY FOR VIOLATING THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 2012 (ACT 851)
I, Enoch Agyapong, residents of the Tema West Constituency humbly petition your good offices for the commencement of criminal proceedings against Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah, the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Tema West Constituency, for putting us his constituents at risk of the COVID-19 virus in violation of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
As you are well aware, the whole world is in a COVID-19 pandemic and Ghana has not been spared. In view of that, the President, through the Ministry of Health has put in necessary measures to arrest the spread of the virus, which have been generally termed as the COVID-19 protocols. Notorious among these protocols is the requirement that a person who is diagnosed to be positive with the virus must observe a mandatory 14-day isolation and tested negative before coming out to engage the public. It is worthy of note that, the president of the Republic, the first gentleman of the land, observed a mandatory 14-day isolation, after he was exposed to a COVID-19 patient.
![](https://makanaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/hosting_domain-02-1024x725.jpg)
Against these much-publicised protocols, the Honourable Member of Parliament was diagnosed positive with the COVID-19 virus on the 23rd day of June 2020, which required the Honourable Member of Parliament to have observed a 14-day mandatory isolation immediately after he was told of his positive status he should have been treated and discharge as negative of the virus. However, against the much publicized protocols and all good reason, the Honourable Member of Parliament decided to embark on a tour of registration centers in our constituency and widely interacted with some of his constituents.
The Honourable Member has since admitted on various media platforms that, he knew of his positive status at the time he embarked on the tour of the registration centers and has resigned his position as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, following a public outcry that was generated by his conduct.
I am of the firm conviction that, the conduct of the Honourable Member of Parliament is in violation of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851). The relevant provisions of the Public Health Act are reproduced below;
Section 10. (1) A medical officer or an authorized health officer may
(a) cause a person suffering or suspected to be suffering from a communicable disease, whether in an infected area or not, to be removed to a health facility or designated place; and
(b) detain that person until the medical officer or health officer determines that that person is safe to be discharged.
15. A person who, without lawful authority or excuse, the proof of which lies on that person,
(a) contravenes a provision of this Part for which a punishment is not provided, or does anything which, under this Part or under the Regulations that person ought not to do, or
(b) obstructs or impedes or aids or incites any other person to obstruct or impede a medical officer, veterinary officer, police officer, health officer, or any other person lawfully acting in the execution of a provision of this Part, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than three months, or to both.
It is my contention that the conduct of the Honourable Member of Parliament after he was told of his positive COVID-19 status is in direct violation of the above provisions and that criminal proceedings ought to be instituted against him.
I would like your outfit to commence investigation leading to the death of one of his Coordinators, Osei Kofi Amankwah, who died as a result of COVID-19 on the 2nd of July 2020. It was evidently clear that the Honourable Member of Parliament had a meeting with the Coordinator on 21st of June 2020 whiles his samples had already been taken for COVID-19 testing waiting for the outcome, which eventually turned out to be POSITIVE.
Respectfully find attached the Hon. MP’s interview with Citi FM and Asempa FM as well as a video of him embracing party faithfuls whiles he was awaiting his test result which eventually turned out to be positive.
Respectfully submitted.
Yours faithfully,