Deputy Defence Minister, Major (retd.) Derrick Oduro, has commended Ghana’s biggest waste management firm, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, for being at the forefront of Ghana’s fight against the deadly coronavirus.
Using state-of-the-art equipment, the firm has since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, conducted a series of disinfection exercises in second cycle schools, police installations, market centres, churches, mosques, universities and other public places across the country.
A World Health Organisation-approved chemical, which is a chlorine-based with sodium hypochlorite compound, is being used for the covid-19 disinfection exercise.
The chemical disinfects within 10 to 60 minutes of application.
Launching the nationwide disinfection and disinfestation of police facilities across the country in Accra Monday, Major Oduro lauded Zoomlion Ghana Limited for choosing to use a WHO approved chemical.
He observed the use of high quality, state of the art equipment has enabled Zoomlion to cover enough grounds in its disinfestation and disinfection exercises.
He was hopeful Zoomlion, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies, will do a thorough work in all the military facilities, including their schools to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The deputy minister indicated that the health and general well-being of members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) was very paramount to the government.
That, he explained, was the reason the government has engaged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to undertake disinfect and disinfest all military facilities across the country.
“Just as the disinfection exercise of both public and private schools in the country, this exercise which is to be replicated in the country has become crucial to reduce/control the community spread of Covid-19,” explained Major Oduro.
Major Oduro however cautioned the disinfection exercise alone was not enough in containing the spread of the virus and urged all “play our part to stop it.”
The GAF, he said has thus put place teams to ensure the strict compliance of the President’s directives on Covid-19.
“Let us all continue to maintain these protocols by wearing our nose masks, keeping social distancing, regular washing of our hands and use of hand sanitisers,” he advised.
He applauded the GAF for their professionalism and sense of urgency to duty in the covid-19 era.
“I want to commend all ranks for standing up to your call and for the support you continue to offer the Commander-in-Chief and my Ministry,” he commended.
“There is no doubt that the efforts you are making to provide the all-round security and support, including logistics in this period, has contributed to the success that we have chalked as a country,” he said.
For his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Obed Boamah Akwa, reiterated the GAF’s commitment to continue to support the government in the fight against Covid-19.
“In this regard, we will continue to utilise the Level II Hospital at El Wak Stadium, put at the disposal of the Ghana Health Service our logistics chain management expertise and use all assets, by land, sea and air, to tackle the menace, until the fight is won,” he assured.
He indicated that personnel of GAF have been deployed to enforce adherence to the Covid-19 preventive protocols directed by the President.
“As our contribution, we deployed across the length and breadth of our country enforcing the measures. We helped to enforce the three-week lockdown; in providing security at Isolation Centres, providing escorts to fumigation teams, among others,” the CDS recounted.
According to him, the exercise will ensure that personnel and their families are safe to carry out their duties.
The Chief Operations Officer and Managing Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs Florence Larbi, said throughout its disinfection “we use disinfectants that are chorine-based containing sodium hypochlorite.
“…Chlorine-based solutions are safe and used for water treatment, for example in swimming pools. This Chlorine based disinfectant is most effective in killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, including influenza virus,” she stated.
“I also want to take this opportunity to assure all of us present here and the entire country that our state-of-the-art vector control assemblage of equipment is second to none in the waste management sector in Ghana.
“We have in readiness, thousands of Motorised Spraying Machines that can be deployed to a wide coverage area within the shortest time possible,” she added..
By 3news.com|Ghana