Life After COVID-19

NEWS COMMENTARY ON OPPORTUNITIES THAT COVID-19 OFFERED TO US TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDES

As unpredictable as the outcome of the coronavirus pandemic is, one thing that is almost certain is that, at the individual, community, national and global levels, mankind will never be the same again after this mysterious bug ravaging our world is finally brought under control and flushed out. The unfortunate loss of thousands of lives to the plague across the globe would not be the only irreversible consequence of this unprecedented global health emergency. In spite of the injection of stimulus packages of trillions of dollars by nations such as the United States, experts say the financial and economic crisis caused by the spread of the virus could exceed the Great Recession of 2008-2009 in its impact. The implications of these seismic shocks for life in the future may be national or international, transient or permanent.

On his take on how the world will look after this, Stephen Walt, professor of International Relations at Harvard University, said the Covid-19 pandemic will strengthen states and reinforce nationalism. With the firm and far-reaching measures, many nations are adopting to fight this global health emergency, this viewpoint is not farfetched. The Harvard University don predicts that most of such nations will be reluctant to relinquish the crisis-management emergency measures they have adopted, once the crisis is over.

As the partial lockdown announced by President Akufo-Addo last Friday begins to take hold of life in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, and works to stem the spread of the virus, we expect our security agencies not to overstep the enforcement mandate given them. At a higher national level, the President, being a champion and exponent of the rule of law, is not expected to give any cause whatsoever for arbitrary use of the Imposition of Restrictions Act.

In that manner, the Harvard professor’s fears would be allayed. As those fears are set aside, however, the hope of many right-minded citizens, that the spirit of men and women around the world would triumph in the face of this extraordinary challenge, is being stabbed in the back in the streets of Ghana. Forty-eight hours before the partial lockdown of the selected areas came into effect, over-anxious residents besieged markets in Accra and Tema in panic buying sprees to stock up foodstuffs and provisions, conscious of the impending adversity the restrictive measures might bring. In spite of the breach of the prescribed social distancing protocols the swoops on the markets caused, it should have been a welcome windfall for traders who have hitherto complained of low sales. And they ought to have been content with the increased sales, maintaining the same if not reduced selling prices. But this, woefully, did not happen. Taking undue advantage of the situation, unscrupulous traders have doubled and even tripled prices of foodstuffs and essential commodities. This unconscionable price hikes also affected hand sanitizers. They were sold exorbitantly at about 200 and 300 per cent increase of the initial price in some parts of the country.

But, in this desperate battle for the very survival of each of the 7.8 billion inhabitants of this sorrowful planet, did Ghana, upon the direction of the President, not hold a National Day of Fasting and Prayer just a week ago? What prayers and covenants did we make to God during the Fast and Prayers? Did we commit to turn from our wicked ways for God to forgive our sins and heal our land? Or we only worshipped Him with our lips while our hearts were far from Him, making it easy for some of us to put our fellow citizens, especially the vulnerable, to the sword with cut-throat prices at a time of great fear, need and virtual helplessness? As we take relevant counsel from Galatians 6:7, to wit, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”, may we be fully conscious of the fact that bringing the Covid-19 pandemic to an end and pushing mankind into a desirably more meaningful life is the pressing need of humanity now. This calls on us all to sustain the fight against this deadly virus, united, with our eyes on the ball. As much as possible, let’s stay home and stay alive. This, too, shall pass.

BY RAYMOND TUVI AUTHOR AND MEDIA CONSULTANT