Waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited has begun disinfecting police installations in the Ashanti Region against the deadly novel coronavirus as the country’s infections nears 6,000.
A total of 158 police installations within the region are to be disinfected and also fumigated against bedbug infestation, rodents and other dangerous insects within the next five days.
Facilities benefiting from the Police-Zoomlion Nationwide Fumigation and Disinfection exercise are police stations, police cells, police administration blocks and bungalows for police personnel.
The mass spraying exercise in the region which kick started from the Police regional headquarters in Kumasi Tuesday saw Zoomlion personnel undertake similar spraying at the police facilities within the metropolis on the first day.
The Central, Ridge, Railways, Zongo, and Adiebeba police stations as well as cells and bungalows within the Kumasi metro were disinfected and fumigated on the first day.
Other areas disinfected and fumigated for the first day were Ayeduase, Bomso, Kotei, Appiadu, Oforikrom, Airport, Manhyia, Buokrom, Asawase, KNUST, Asokore Mampong, Paakoso, Boban police stations.
At the cells where suspect were being kept, they were handcuffed and moved to a temporary holding room to allow the spraying gang the room to disinfect the place and allowed for some hours before they were moved back.
The disinfection and fumigation exercise is expected to create a more conducive atmosphere for police personnel and users of their facilities to keep safe at a time that Ghana’s covid-19 case keeps rising.
Ghana’s case count as at Tuesday, May 19 stood at 5,918 with 31 deaths and 1,754 recoveries since the first two positive cases were recorded on March 12.
With 881 cases, the Ashanti region is currently the second region with the highest number of cases after Greater Accra which has 4,422 cases.
Describing the fumigation and disinfection exercise as timely, Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP Agyemang Adjem expressed the hope that it will prevent the covid-19 scourge.
He however said the exercise should be complemented with adherence to social distancing, regular hand washing under running water and regular use of hand sanitisers.
ACP Adjem said some suspects and police personnel in the region have tested positive for the coronavirus but declined to give details on their numbers and conditions.
“As you are all aware, there have been cases where we’ve had cases of positive from some of our police cells and then some of our men have also tested positive for the virus because they were the persons who at the forefront,” he said
He said it is therefore refreshing that the exercise has finally kick started in the region
“We are sure that it will be a successful one to help us contain this scourge” he stated.
Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah who launched the exercise lauded the initiative which he said would improve the environment within which the police live and operate.
He expressed gratitude to the police and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the initiative and urged the police personnel to give the sprayers the maximum cooperation needed to make the exercise a success.
He, however, said the disinfection exercise should not be taken in isolation of the other protocols outlined by health authorities and government to stem the tide of the coronavirus.
Mr Osei-Mensah has consequently urged Ghanaians to wear their nose and face masks and practice regular hand washing and hand sanitizer use.
He warned that anyone caught in a public place without a nose or facemask will be made to undertake community service as was done to some commuters and commercial drivers within the Kumasi metro.
The minister said that decision stemmed from the fact that persuasion has failed in getting people to wear nose masks hence force must be applied.
He explained that not anyone found to be flouting the directive to wear nose masks in public can afford to pay the minimum 12 fine imposed by law.
By 3news.com|Ghana