Six years after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Ghana, many citizens say the experience has significantly influenced the way they live, work and communicate.
The declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization in 2020 created widespread fear and uncertainty, leading to restrictions that disrupted economic and social activities across the country.
Following the confirmation of the first two cases on March 12, 2020, the government introduced a partial lockdown in parts of the country to contain the spread of the virus, forcing many people to remain indoors and adopt new ways of carrying out daily activities.
Although the pandemic posed serious challenges, it also accelerated the adoption of digital technology across various sectors of Ghanaian society.
Ms Amerley Nortey, a resident of Tema, told the Ghana News Agency that social media platforms, particularly TikTok, gained popularity during the lockdown as people searched for ways to relieve stress and boredom.
She said that although the pandemic had ended, TikTok remained widely used, noting that many young people now earned income through content creation on the platform.
Ms Rahina Braimah, a student of the University of Ghana, said the pandemic also transformed how churches interacted with their congregations.
She explained that during the period when churches were closed, many religious organisations began streaming services online to maintain contact with members.
According to her, churches also introduced mobile money numbers and bank account details to enable members to send tithes and offerings electronically.
Ms Braimah said that even after restrictions were lifted, many churches had continued to stream services on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, while mobile money remained a common method for receiving offerings.
Mr Kwaku Samson, a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, said social media applications helped families maintain communication during the lockdown.
He said video calls through platforms such as WhatsApp enabled him to stay connected with immediate family members and relatives living abroad.
Mr Samson added that video calling had remained a common way for many Ghanaians to communicate with family members outside the country, while online teaching and learning introduced during the pandemic were still being used by some schools.
Nana Ama Gyasi, a student nurse, said the lockdown also influenced lifestyle habits, including cooking.
She said that before the pandemic she often bought food from outside, but the stay-at-home period encouraged her to start preparing her own meals.
Ms Gyasi said she relied on online cooking tutorials, particularly on YouTube, to learn new recipes.
According to her, many people continue to use social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok to learn cooking techniques even after the pandemic.
Six years on, many Ghanaians say the pandemic left lasting changes in how technology is used in everyday life.
Source: GNA
