Waste Management Giant Zoomlion in collaboration with the Ministry of Education(MoE) and the Ghana Education Service(GES) has extended the phase three of the nationwide disinfection exercise to the Upper East Region.
The exercise is part of measures put in place by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the president of the Republic of Ghana, in ensuring the novel Covid-19 pandemic is deafeated.
The President during his 16th address to the nation on measures taken to curb the virus’ spread on August 30, announced the resumption of school for second-year students of Junior and Senior High Schools across the country on October 5, 2020. This is to enable the students complete their academic work as government works towards the easing of restriction in the fight against the spread of the novel virus.
Students in form two are expected be in school by 5th October, 2020, while those in form one are expected to join them in January 2021.
The disinfection team from Zoomlion Ghana led by the Upper East Regional Public Jobs Manager, Kojo Njabore, started the exercise from the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School, to Navrongo Senior High School. The team is expectected to disinfect 52 Senior High and Technical Schools and over 4300 basic schools across the region.
Speaking to a section of Journalists after the exercise at the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High school, the senior house master of the school, Mr. Napaala Stanislaus, indicated that the exercise is timely and the disinfection will go a long way in the fight against the novel virus.
“We are praying that when the girls come back nothing will worry them. We are more than prepared for reopening. Social distancing will be practised accordingly. Old students provided some PPEs to the school and we also received some from government”.
Mr. Napaala also appealed for government to come to their aid by way of supporting the school with vehicles especially pick-ups for administrative activities.
Public Jobs Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited in the Upper East Region, Mr. Kojo Njabore, mentioned that it has not been easy working with the school heads but his outfit has been able to engage the various stakeholders effectively before the commencement of this exercise.
“I must say that the problems we encountered during the first and second phase has been reduced. We were able to communicate to the heads before the exercise started. There will be a revision after we are done with the exercise”.
At Navrongo Senior High School, Assistant Headmistress in charge of domestic, Ms. Clemencia Zizinga, addresing the media stated that the school has put measures in place to make sure all the Covid-19 protocols are observed.
“This is the third time the team from Zoomlion has been in the school for the disinfection exercise. We had positive feedback after the second exercise was done.
Precautionary measures have been put in place to accommodate them and we will follow the protocols as stated.
When we continue to educate them I hope we will not record any case. The school has been able to acquire gun thermometers to help us in checking their temperature” .
Ms. Clemencia also commended government and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for carrying out the exercise to help combat the Covid-19 viral desease.
“I want to…comment the government for allowing Zoomlion to carry out the exercise because it has gone a long way to help”. According to the headmistress the school do not see the magnitude of insects, lizards and other reptiles as it use to be. She also called on government to do more of such exercises even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
On his part, the deputy regional manager of Zoomlion Mr. Issaka Abubakar, said the disinfection of Senior High Schools across the region by Zoomlion Ghana Limited is in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ghana Education Service (GES). He said the exercise is meant to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
On challenges Mr. Abubakar stated that the authorities in the various schools were pre-informed and so the team did not experience difficulties like previous exercises.
The phase III has been successfully done in the other regions simultaneously.
