Some inmates in police cells in the Greater Accra Region have tested positive for coronavirus, the head of the regional command has disclosed.
DCOP Fred Adu-Anim told journalists last Saturday that the undisclosed number of inmates have since been sent to an isolation centre, also in Accra.
“We have tested some of the (policemen) and we are waiting for the results,” he told the media during the disinfection, fumigation and general clean up exercise at the Greater Accra Regional Police HQ.
Police and waste management giants, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, have partnered for a major project aimed at keeping police facilities clean.
Dubbed ‘Police-Zoomlion National Disinfection and Fumigation Exercise,’ it was launched at the National Police Training School, Tesano, Accra, on Wednesday, and would also ensure the cleaning of surroundings of all police training schools (depots), police stations, barracks and their markets, offices and cells among other facilities.
Some 1,249 police stations across the 16 regions and Tema, and 6 training schools in Accra, Kumasi, Koforidua, Winneba, Ho and Bolga will be covered under the project.
Commenting on the Saturday’s exercise at the Greater Accra Police headquarters, head of Corporate Communication for Jospong, owners of Zoomlion, Sophia Lissah said the disinfection project for the police installations was critical because the service men are among the fontline workers in the fight against the coronavirus in Ghana.
“Greater Accra Region has 14 divisions and this is one of them. Today all the divisions are undertaking this exercise but the disinfestation is happening at just this centre where we have the cells, the striking force, etc… but then the other areas will be scheduled for next week , Sophia Lissah said.
“The police project is quite unique because aside the officers themselves, you realise that they are all together – the police, the inmates at cells, the family (of the police) they all live together in one community, so if one has it, it becomes a bit pricey, you can’t tell what will happen so it is key for us that as we are doing this, we are looking at all the people here,” she said.
Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Police Service have partnered for numerous clean-up exercises across the country with overwhelming outcomes.
The waste management company has, meanwhile, disinfected the Winneba Police Command and Staff College.
This forms part of efforts by the two entities to curtail the spread of the coronavirus on campus.
The disinfection exercise, which started at around 9am, saw various areas like the classroom blocks, bungalows of lecturers, Offices and external environment of the facility disinfected by the team from Zoomlion.
Speaking to the press later, Commandant of the Winneba Police Command and Staff College, Superintendent Samuel Aseidu Okanta indicated that the exercise will help erase doubts in the minds of incoming trainees of potential COVID-19 outbreak.
“Because of the fear that COVID-19 brings, coupled with the fact that this place is a training facility for Police, when it becomes necessary, the Police administration will bring personnel here for crime and other training.
“And if they are aware that the place has been disinfected they will have no fear, but beyond that the IGP is not only disinfecting this facility, it includes stations and various Police cells,” Superintendent Samuel Aseidu Okanta said.
“Just like the Universities using different strategies to carry out their mandate the Police Adminstration is ready to also use different strategies to carry out our mandate so in the not too distance future when students come to the depot it will be easy for them”the Commandant said.
On his part the Central Regional Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited Ernest Osei urged the college to take precautionary measures before admitting students to prevent the spread of the virus on campus.
“We have done a good job on the Police Colleges but you know very well that people are coming from different places but I believe at the entry point that is where they must take other precautionary measures in terms of hand washing ,the use of hand sanitizers must be enforced” the Regional Manager said.
According to him the exercise is not only going to end on the colleges but will continue at the various Police Stations, District commands as well as the Regional Command and the various Police Barracks.
“This exercise is meant for all Police stations, Districts and Divisional commands as well as the Regional Commands and the various Police barracks across the Central Region” Ernest Osei added.
The post Zoomlion disinfects police cells in Accra, Winneba training school appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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