Government has once again reviewed its timeline for vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians against COVID-19.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo set end of March 2022 to achieve the target after the initial December 2021 deadline.

But in his 28th Coronavirus update to the nation on Sunday, the President pushed the date to June 2022.

He lamented the slow pace at attaining the national COVID-19 vaccination coverage, but quickly added that government will intensify its strategies to encourage majority of the population to receive the jabs.

“Whilst we have not achieved our national vaccination coverage target, it is significant to note that reasonable vaccination coverages have been achieved in the hotspots of infections, particularly in the urban areas of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi. Government is determined to use all means to increase the deployment of vaccination across the country to achieve our target of vaccinating some 20 million Ghanaians by June.”

There are concerns that Ghana has a growing problem of vaccine hesitancy.

So far, the data suggest only 13.1 million Ghanaians out of the over 30 million population have received the vaccine.

The President thus urged those yet to be vaccinated not to hesitate in getting themselves inoculated.

“To my Fellow Ghanaians who have not received the jab, I urge you to take it. To those listening to the propaganda by the conspiracy theorists and those who are still sceptical about the efficacy of the vaccine, it has been a year since my wife and I got vaccinated; it has not disrupted our physical wellbeing, neither has it caused us to be sick. We are, touch wood, hale and hearty, like the other 13.1 million Ghanaians who have been vaccinated.”

There has been the easing of various restrictions including reopening the country’s land and sea borders as well as the no more negative PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers via the Kotoka International Airport. The mandatory wearing of face masks is also not compulsory any longer.

President Akufo-Addo attributed the eased restrictions on the reduced number of active cases in the country.

He also cited the number of vaccinated persons and the advice of the national COVID-19 Taskforce and the health experts leading to the to revision of the COVID-19 restrictions, enacted under E.I. 64.

“Indeed, as of Friday, 25th March 2022, the total number of active cases stood at seventy-two (72). There are no severely or critically ill persons. Our COVID-19 treatment centres are empty, and the 4th wave appears to be over. In addition to these very low reported cases is the considerable improvement in the availability and uptake of vaccines by the population,” the President noted.