Coronavirus: Markets in Western North region disinfected

As part of the government’s plans to prevent a second wave of COVID -19 infections across the country, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), in partnership with, Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), on Monday November 16, 2020 took the third phase of market disinfection exercise to the Western North Region.

The exercise, which will last two days Monday, November 16-Tuesday, November 17, 2020 is expected to cover all markets and other public spaces in the region.

Prior to this, regions including Greater Accra, Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Oti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Ashanti and Western had all benefited from the ongoing national exercise.

The Western North exercise kick-started in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality which saw all spaces of the Wiawso market disinfected.

Speaking to the media, the Stationmaster of Sefwi Asawinso Lorry Terminal branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Ben Benkyi, was full of praise for the government and Zoomlion, for the operation.

“This third market disinfection will protect us against COVID-19 and other viral diseases, especially as we are seeing a surge in COVID cases in some of the regions” he indicated.

He said his outfit has constantly been reminding their union members [the drivers] to always observe the COVID protocols.

“We also ensure that passengers who board vehicles of our members wash their hands with soap and clean water and also have their nose masks on,” he said.
…that is the reason we have Veronica buckets in the station to ensure that we are adhere to the protocols,” he noted.

According to Mr Benkyi, the disinfection of public spaces will keep these places safe for use by patrons.

The disinfection crew went on to disinfect the Asafo market and Dwinase market all in the Sefwi Wiawso municipality.

It would be recalled that in March this year when Ghana recorded its first cases of COVID-19, the government imposed a three-week partial lockdown on Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and parts of the Central Region.

That was immediately followed by a nationwide disinfection exercise against the virus in markets, lorry stations and public toilets by the MLGRD in partnership with Zoomlion.

Following the success chalked after the first phase, the government again rolled out a second round of disinfection in an effort to sustain the gains made in the county’s quest to defeat the virus.