Politicians must refrain from politicising the country’s fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that is ravaging countries across the globe, Professor J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, President of the Trinity Theological Seminary (TTS), Legon, has cautioned.
Speaking to a cross-section of journalists during a disinfection and fumigation exercise by the Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) on the TTS campus, Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu described as “sad and unfortunate” attempts by some of the country’s politicians to politicise Ghana’s battle against COVID-19.
“This is a time we all have to come together and fight a common enemy, COVID-19. We have to wise up and understand that the virus is not a matter to toy with,” he warned.
When asked about whether government should consider reopening schools, the president of TTS made it clear that decision should be left for the technical experts to make. “It should not be a political decision to reopen schools. We should rely on advice of the experts,” he advised.
The disinfection exercise formed part of ZGL’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) to support the COVID-19 fight, as many tertiary institutions, churches and state institutions have already benefitted from the initiative.
Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu therefore seized the opportunity to commend Zoomlion for carrying out the disinfection exercise at his institute, noting that the institute has also employed a number of measures to protect its staff members on campus from contracting the virus.
These measures, he said, include placing alcohol-based hand sanitisers at vantage points for staff members to use in sanitising their hands; and Veronica buckets, liquid soaps and tissues in front of almost every facility on campus to ensure staff members regularly wash their hands even before they enter any of the facilities.
Disinfection of NAFTI
The company also disinfected the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Cantonments, Accra. After the exercise, the Rector of NAFTI, Dr. Samuel Nai, expressed his profound gratitude to Zoomlion and its partners for the gesture. And though he indicated it was in the institute’s plans to fumigate and disinfect the school, he described as timely the initiative by Zoomlion to carry out the exercise.
According to Dr. Sai, his institute has embossed the ‘No Face Mask, No Entry’ on the main entrance gate to emphasise the importance NAFTI attaches to helping prevent spread of the virus. “We also have Veronica buckets and alcohol-based hand sanitisers placed at vantage points to encourage use by staff members, especially now that students are home.”
Earlier, Zoomlion disinfected the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) headquartered at Abossey-Okai, Accra. Among the church’s facilities disinfected were the Youth Block, Children’s Block, Multi-Purpose Centre, and the main church auditorium with its attached offices and the whole compound.
