Ghana’s first citizen, Mr Nano Akufo-Addo and his wife, Mrs Rebecca Akufo, have received the COVID-19 vaccine, signifying the beginning of the vaccination in the country.

According to reports, the duo got vaccinated at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana on  Monday, March 1, 2021.

Before taking the shot, President said, “I decided to take it [the vaccine] publicly to clear all doubts and urge everyone to also accept the vaccine.”

A section of the Ghanaian community has expressed fears that the vaccine may rather kill them or cause them to fall ill.But President Akufo-Addo said the vaccine is safe, accepting to take the jab with his wife to allay the fears of many Ghanaians.

“It’s important to state that this vaccine is safe by being the first to have it. So, everybody in Ghana should feel comfortable about taking the vaccine. It is important that everybody at the end of the day is vaccinated. That is our objective,” Mr Akufo-Addo said.

He expressed his gratitude to stakeholders for delivering 600,000 doses of vaccine from the COVAX-funded facility.

The president called on Ghanaians not to be complacent but rather continue to observe the necessary safety protocols in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All the other protocols remain in place until we are satisfied that the virus finally disappears from Ghana,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and his wife, Mrs Samira Bawumia, are also expected to be inoculated later in the day at a different health facility.

It is important to note that while vaccination commenced today in Ghana, Nigeria is yet to get her own vaccines.

Business Post earlier reported today that the federal government has opened a portal for the registration of vaccination in Nigeria. The African giant expects its vaccines on Tuesday. The type is the one produced by AstraZeneca and nearly 4 million doses are expected.