Ahead of reopening: Over 6,000 basic schools undergo mass disinfection & fumigation 

With a few days to the official reopening of schools in Ghana after a long break owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoomlion Ghana has taken the mass disinfection and fumigation to the doorsteps of public and private schools in Greater Accra.

In all, over six thousand (6,000) schools are being disinfected and fumigated.

This was made known by the Zoomlion Ghana Limited General Manager, Accra Zone,

Mr Ernest Morgan Acquah, when he earlier briefed the media on their schools reopening disinfection and fumigation plan by his outfit.

He explained that the mass exercise will make the schools safe for reopening on their various scheduled dates.

The Greater Accra exercise—which commenced on Monday, (January 12, 2021) at Osu Presby Cluster of Schools in the Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly—is being undertaken by waste management expert, Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), under the auspices of the government of Ghana.

Additionally, a number of schools in the municipal assembly were also included in the schools reopening disinfection programme.

These were Osu Salem Boys JHS, Osu Ringway Estate Basic and Junior High School, Osu Salem 1 Basic and Fountain of Youth International School. The rest were Kanda AMA Basic School, St Paul’s Lutheran School, Aggrey Memorial International School all under the Kanda cluster of schools in the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly.

The disinfection programme follows President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directive for all educational institutions from Kindergarten to tertiary institutions to be disinfected and fumigated to allow pupils and students return safely to school.

Speaking to the media, the Headteacher of Osu Ringway Estate Basic & JHS, Richard T. Nikoi, was grateful to the central government for including his school in the reopening disinfection programme.

He described it as very crucial in the wake of reopening on Monday, January 18, 2021.

He gave a firm assurance that his school was ready to welcome the pupils back to the classroom.

“We have also prepared adequately in terms of the Covid protocols. Right from the school’s entrance, there is a Veronica bucket and a liquid soap to ensure that the pupils wash their hands. We also have alcohol-based hand sanitisers and adequate nose masks to be made available to the children when they return.

The above measures, Mr Nikoi indicated, would protect his pupils, teaching and non-teaching staff members against the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“I will personally take charge of ensuring that all my pupils, especially the little ones, observe the Covid safety measures,” he assured.

Mr Daniel Adjei, who represented the Osu Circuit Supervisor, Madam Vida Koranteng, said the “disinfection was of great importance to schools within the municipal assembly,” adding that it will protect the school children against the virus.

Meanwhile, tertiary institutions which benefited from the exercise early on reopened on Saturday, 9, 2021.