Question

The safety protocols to follow not to be infected with COVID-19 are known and well explained. Ghana has even enacted laws that strictly punish those who do
not follow the protocols especially the wearing of masks, social distancing and washing of hands.
The major challenge is poor implementation of the laws. People are disobeying the laws, ignoring the protocols and behaving as if the virus and the laws do not exist. Obviously, there is an implementation problem.
a) Apply the barriers to problem solving to explain why the government is failing with implementing the laws and recommend how each of these barriers can be overcome
15 marks

b) Use the four different corporate cultures to advise government on how citizens can be made to follow the protocols for all to be safe

Answer 1

Covid 19 is a pandemic and it can be spread easily. Mere contact with an infected person irrespective of he being diagnosed with Covid virus can still spread to other and inflict harm/ To fight such a pandemic many governments came up with new rules, regulations and law to curb the spread. Since there is no antidote for corona the only remedy is to curb the spread. The most common solution for this problem which majority of the government has taken is Social distancing and lockdown. Advising people to maintain safe distance and by complete lockdown avoiding the need of people coming in contact on a macro level. Compulsory wearing of mask in public is also an important law. Irrespective of such stricter laws and control there has been problems which are increasing at an alarming rate. Ghana has also implemented such rules keeping their country in mind. However there was a problem with implementation. major barriers in implementing the different laws to curb the spread were -

i) Lack of resources - Lack of resources leads to improper allocation of medicines, funds, prociding care to the patients, etc. These lack can be due to negligience, unpreparedness or due to lack of enthusiasm. This barrier includes lack of funds, necessary equipments and manpower which are critical for implementing the Covid regulations

ii) Lack of International gidelines - International health body or International institution focusing on public health should come up with timely and specific guidelines covering different geographic conditions. These guidelines would have helped Ghana in effective designing laws suitable for its geography. The internaitonal bodies would have more data, research and remedy to fight this virus. The major barrier is lack of guidelines from agencies like WHO (World Health Organisation).

iii) Public Stigma - When the people develop a feeling that certain type of public or certain sect of the society are linked to an infection or disorder. This stigma will lead to hiding of any symptoms from the general pulic to safeguard image and to avoid embarassment and this stigma from public. This leads into a bigger problem of spreading to others as well. The major barrier is ignoring early symptoms and being shy to come ahead and take timely and adequate treatment.

iv) Public awareness - Success of any law or the people will follow any law only if they are made aware of the need of the same rather than just abiding law. There was awareness of the disease but lack of awareness relating to the remedy for controling the disease. People were not really aware of the benefit involved by wearing mask and social distancing. This lack of awareness leads to half heartedly following rules just because of the penalty. If people were really aware of the advantages or necessity of such measures the result, their behaviour and success of such laws would have been different.

v) Lack of Administrative support - Administrative support from local administrators, state level government, community support, etc are must of effective implementation of any law. Generally different states have different political parties forming government. And therefore there stays a friction between policies created by the central government. This causes a barrier in implementation of policies.

vi) Faith - Majority of people in Ghana have religious sentiments which is based on faith, sins, actions, deeds, etc. However practicality should supercede religous sentiments. Faith in god or religion will make them do things which is against the anti covid law. For example - There is a law against gathering, following of lockdown etc, however the religous sentiments forces people to pray together at the holy place, religous gatherings to pray to cure corona virus, etc. Also the strong belief that everything depends on the will of God stops them from following such laws. Faith is important but it should never superceed the laws of the country.

vii) Economical - Use of mask, sanitizers are must. There are laws of keeping sanitizers at every shop, commercial and residential buiuldings, offices, etc. However looking at the economy of Ghana and lockdown it is not that practical for everyone to buy and keep this things. Also since due to lockdown business of people are at standstill it is difficult to expect such things from people. This then leads to people coming out and breaking lockdown in search of work to earn food and take care of their basic necessity.

b) Four different corporate cultures which should be used by government to make the citizen follow the protocol for ther safety are -

(i) Awareness - In all corporate culture, logical reasoning behind the rules and regulation are explained. They are made aware of the need to follow it as they are looking for companies growth. And in companies growth lies their growth. the sense of interdependency is drilled from the start so that they follow the rules.

(ii) Rewards and Recognition - This is a very important tool for corporates to retain their people, set an example by rewarding those who followed rules and recognising their efforts and inspiring others to follow the same and giving a chance to other to be rewarded the next time. Government can use this trick like a carrot. Also with rewards they can keep strict penalties to punish the wrong doers.

(iii) Delegation of authority - Giving others power and making them responsible for getting things done or taking care of anything. Government should delegate authority and responsibility to state governments or other government assoicates or representative to adhere that rules and regulations are followed. And proper monitoring is in place to keep a check on the same.

(iv) Leading by example - Senior officials in corporates lead by example to picture to the other employees of necessary laws to be followed. Like paycut, adherence to leave policy, adhering to dress code, etc. Similarly government should lead by example and show the people what is to be done, how it s to be done.

These are few corporate cultres which implemented thoroughly would enable the government to effectively implement the regulations.