Gov't denies knowledge of COVID-19 billboards, orders city authorities to pull them down

The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says billboards with the President’s photos educating Ghanaians on the need to wear face masks wherever they go in order not to be infected by the novel COVID-19 were not erected by government.

Some members of the National Democratic Congress on their various social media platforms have chided the President for erecting billboards with a photo of him not wearing his face mask but educating people on the need to put on Face mask.

According to them, the President is a leader and needs to practice what he preaches and not otherwise.

But reacting to the various concerns on of the opposition NDC on the billboards, the Information Minister has indicated that they were not sanctioned by government.

According to him, these are billboards mounted by private individuals who are also contributing their quota to the fight against COVID-19.

He, however, called on such people to in the future seek permission and approval of their works before they mount them.

His thread on Twitter read “We appreciate all who seek to help Govt communicate at this time. But pls do well to engage with Govt on imaging and messaging. This billboard of the President without a mask is not from Govt. Note that at his last public appearance the President wore his masks till his speech’.

“We have asked city authorities to pull this down. We encourage the well intentioned advertisers to engage with us directly to avoid such mishaps in the future.”

We appreciate all who seek to help Govt communicate at this time. But pls do well to engage with Govt on imaging and messaging. This billboard of the President without a mask is not from Govt. Note that at his last public appearance the President wore his masks till his speech. pic.twitter.com/2WEcncrZOu

— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) May 3, 2020