The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is still here, and thus Ghanaians must wake up to that reality and follow the safety protocols, Deputy North East Regional Minister Mr. Tahiru Tia Ahmmed has said.
According to him, though his region is fortunate not to have recorded any COVID case in the past five months, it is risky for the people to relax – adding that this has a tendency to lead to widespread community infections.
Mr. Tia Ahmmed made the observation while speaking to journalists at the North East Regional Coordinating Council (N/E RCC) on Wednesday (November 11, 2020) at Nalerigu during the third-phase disinfection of markets and other public places in the region.
The two-day operation [Wednesday, November 11 – Thursday, November 12, 2020], is a collaboration between the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
It was aimed at keeping these public places safe from COVID-19 and other viruses for trading and other business transactions to take place.
“This exercise [third-phase of disinfection] is timely as it will wake up people to the fact that COVID is here; therefore the need for them to follow the safety protocols,” he stressed.
Following the COVID-19 safety protocols will prevent the region from recording any cases again, he added.
On what the RCC is doing to prevent any more cases, Hon Tia Ahmmed said they have been holding regular meetings with leaders of churches, mosques, queen-mothers and other interest groups, whereby they implore them to educate their members on the need to comply with the COVID-19 preventive measures.
“That explains why so far no case has been recorded again in the region,” he noted.
The acting North East Regional Manager-Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Adams Nahimu, said the operation will cover over 100 markets in the region.
The third-phase market disinfection, he explained, has become necessary because of the steadily rise in COVID-19 infections across the country.
He gave assurance that his outfit will do a quality job, adding that places which were not covered in the previous exercises will be disinfected.
The exercise started at exactly 11:00am at the Nalerigu Old Market, where shops and sheds were disinfected.
From the Nalerigu Old Market, the Zoomlion disinfection crew moved to the Gambaga, Lanbginsi and Walewale Markets. The exercise will end today, Thursday (November 12, 2020).
