The Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Edward Oduro Kwarteng, has stated that Covid-19 is a killer and its devastation across the world is very scary.
For that reason, he has stressed that it is about time Ghanaians came to terms with the reality of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.
DCOP Kwarteng made the observation during the Volta Region launch of the nationwide Ghana Police Service — Zoomlion Ghana Limited fumigation and disinfection of police facilities.
A total of 167 facilities, comprising 59 police stations/offices and 108 barracks/accommodations will be disinfected in the region.
The week-long exercise began with the disinfection of the Volta Regional Police Headquarters, Ho, and the District Police Headquarters/Central Police Station/Barracks, Ho.
According to the regional commander, it was sad that people were still doubting the existence of Covid-19.
“I daresay that they are being misled,” he said.
Speaking to the media at the launch, DCOP Kwarteng stressed the need for Ghanaians to religiously practise the Covid-19 preventive protocols — observing personal hygiene, social distancing, using alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and avoiding handshakes and social gatherings.
He said there was a need for residents in the region to wear nose masks and comply with the social distancing protocol.
DCOP Kwarteng recounted that the region had recorded few incidents of non-compliance.
But he added that the necessary steps were being taken to maintain sanity within the region.
“Let me once again remind all of us that we are not in normal times and so we must all put our hands to the wheel to drive the invisible killer away as soon as possible,” he said.
He commended Zoomlion for its role in the fight against Covid-19.
“We need to applaud them for a yeoman’s job,” he said.
In a brief remark, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Pastor Johnson Avulatey, also admitted that Covid-19 was a killer disease.
“We, therefore, need to tighten our belts, observe the protocols so we can fight this common enemy,” he urged.
He said that the only medicine for the virus was adhering to the preventive protocols of washing hands, applying alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and practising physical distancing.
He said the disease was no respecter of persons, adding that “that is why we need to be extra-careful.”
He, therefore, entreated the Zoomlion team to do an efficient job to ensure the safety of police personnel in the region.
For his part, the General Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Volta Region, Mr Solomon Denyo, disclosed that about 500 personnel, chemicals, and other logistics had been deployed for the exercise.
He said the aim of the exercise was to protect police personnel from the attack of Covid-19.
He expressed optimism that they would finish the exercise within five days.
Mr Denyo used the opportunity to encourage other corporate institutions to take advantage of Zoomlion’s disinfection programme for their facilities to be disinfected.
