President Nana Akufo–Addo has named former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, as the Chairman for a committee in charge of vaccine development and manufacturing inGhana's COVID-19 fight.

In his 24th national address on the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, 28 February 2021, the President said that the committee will aim at “formulating a concrete plan of action towards vaccine development and manufacturing”.

He said: “Furthermore, I want to reiterate my determination that we should manufacture vaccines here in Ghana. To this end, a Committee has been established under the Chairmanship of the former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, the world-renowned scientist, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, which is formulating a concrete plan of action towards vaccine development and manufacturing”.

Ghana received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India (Covishield).

The consignment was delivered on 24 February 2021.

This is the first consignment of vaccines acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) which Ghana, among 92 countries has signed unto.

Ghana was the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccines in West Africa.

The President, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and their spouses will, on Monday, 1st March 2021, take the COVID-19 vaccines publicly.

“As your President, I want to assure you that the vaccine is safe. That is why tomorrow, on Monday, 1 March, ahead of the commencement of the vaccination programme on Tuesday, 2 March, my wife, the First Lady, the Vice-President, his wife, and I, will take the vaccine publicly at two health facilities in Accra,” the President said.

President Akufo-Addo assured Ghanaians that the vaccines have passed the safety test of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

He, therefore, urged citizens to undergo the vaccination and disregard the conspiracy theories being circulated about it.

“Our domestic regulatory agency, FDA, one of the most reputable in Africa and in the world, has certified the safe use of the vaccine. It will not do so if it had any reservations about the safety of the vaccine, and I have gone on record as saying that no vaccine will be deployed in the country for use without the express certification of the FDA.”

 “Taking the vaccine will not alter your DNA, it will not embed a tracking device in your body, neither will it cause infertility in women or in men,” he added.