Over 300 markets closed for second round of fumigation in Ashanti Region

Over 300 markets in the Ashanti Region have been closed to allow for the second phase of the national disinfection, fumigation and cleaning exercise.

The exercise is being carried out across the country in markets and other public places.

In the Ashanti Region, the exercise is taking place in all 43 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well as three other sub metros.

Speaking to the media at the beginning of the exercise, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah urged all traders and affected persons to comply with the directive to close their shops, as he says the exercise is for the general good of the society.

He said the assembly is also making sure that value for money is achieved in the disinfection exercise, hence has deployed assembly members to keenly monitor the exercise in their respective communities.

“Our eyes are open and we will make sure we achieve value for money. All the assembly members have been directed to go to their areas with the unit committee members to make sure that the people [Zoomlion officials] are doing the work they have been brought in to do,” he said.

On his part, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive, Osei Assibey Antwi, noted that the his outfit has put adequate measures in place to ensure the exercise effective to help achieve the desired results.

“We are appealing to traders in the various markets that whatever inconvenience this exercise will come with, they should forgive us. We have to do this to contain the pandemic and to keep our markets clean and tidy so they should endeavour to shut down their shops at least two hours within which the exercise will be completed.”

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional General Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Philip Yeboah Asante says they are confident that the exercise will help curtail the spread of COVID-19.

“But for the first phase of fumigation, the COVID-19 figures would have been higher than we are seeing now. Now that it is known that the virus can even stay in the air for some hours, it is better that we do this exercise frequently and that is why the government says we are going to do this every quarter.”

The fumigation and disinfection exercise started after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana. The government through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the various assemblies has been embarking on the exercises at markets and other public places as part of measures to curtail the spread of the virus.