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The Bantama Market being sprayed. Picture: emmanuel baah
The Bantama Market being sprayed. Picture: emmanuel baah

Kumasi markets ‘taste’ disinfection

Markets in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region were disinfected yesterday in an exercise meant to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

The disinfection was part of a national exercise which started in the Greater Accra Region last Monday.

It was organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in conjunction with the National Mosquito Control Programme, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group.

Kumasi dead

Kumasi was virtually dead as the exercise went on smoothly.

The usual hustle and bustle associated with the central business district of the Garden City was absent, with the area completely deserted.

Traders, shop owners and leaders of various trader groups kept to their pledge to comply with the directive by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to close their shops to allow for an effective exercise.

Some 1,621 sprayers took part in the exercise, which went on for about seven hours.

Operational areas

Among the markets that were disinfected in Kumasi were those at Kejetia, Asafo, the Sokoban Wood Village, the Race Course, Bohyen and Bantama, as well as the Afia Kobi Market.

Some lorry parks, including Asafo Neoplan, Dr Mensah and Abinkyi, were also covered.

Notable Kumasi suburbs, such as Asafo, Bantama, Ashanti New Town, Aboabo, Tafo, Atonsu and Fante New Town, were without their usual social and commercial activities.

The police provided security to ensure that the exercise went on smoothly.

Take off

By 7 a.m., spraying gangs had moved into action, and about 2 p.m. the exercise was over.

As the disinfection went on, some government officials and officials from Zoomlion Ghana Limited observed the exercise.

They included the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah; a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural development, Mr Collins Ntim; the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi; the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Nana Agyemang Prempeh, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mr Joseph Siaw Agyepong.

Officials impressed

Mr Osei-Mensah was happy with the compliance level and described the exercise as very successful.

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