Zoomlion Ghana has called on residents of the Upper East Region to make sanitation a daily responsibility, as the company undertakes a disinfection exercise aimed at limiting the spread of diseases during the rainy season.
The company’s Upper East Regional Manager, Kojo Njabore, said cleaning public spaces periodically would not be enough to address sanitation-related health risks unless residents also maintained clean surroundings.
“Sanitation is a continuous thing. It can never be an event,” he said.
His comments came as Zoomlion launched a disinfection exercise covering more than 15 districts across the region.
The exercise is targeting public places including markets, lorry parks, schools, health facilities, abattoirs and other public infrastructure.
Mr Njabore said the timing was important because the Upper East was approaching the peak of its rainy season.
According to him, rainfall can carry waste and other contaminants into public spaces, creating conditions favourable for the spread of diseases.
The company is targeting pathogens associated with cholera, typhoid and malaria as part of the exercise.
Mr Njabore said the company’s objective was to protect public health and the environment, but this could not be achieved by disinfection alone.
He urged residents to clean their homes and public spaces regularly and to work with sanitation authorities.
“This is just one of the measures,” he said.
He said Zoomlion would continue to assess sanitation conditions in the region and develop further interventions during the year.
The next intervention, he explained, may not necessarily involve disinfection but could focus on another emerging sanitation or environmental challenge.
Mr Njabore also addressed concerns about the safety of the chemicals being used.
He said the products had been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and were safe when applied correctly.
At the abattoir, where spraying was taking place, he said the facility would be safe for normal activities after about eight hours.
The exercise is expected to reduce environmental health risks in public spaces, but Zoomlion says its long-term success will depend largely on residents adopting better sanitation practices.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com |102.7 HMz | Bolgatanga
