Major (Rtd) Derrick Oduro, Deputy Minister of Defence, has commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited for using the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved standards, and state-of-the-art equipment in its disinfection and dis-infestation exercises.

He said the use of such high quality equipment has enabled Zoomlion to cover enough grounds in its dis-infestation and disinfection exercises.
Major (Rtd) Oduro made the commendation when he launched the nationwide disinfection and dis-infestation of military facilities and garrisons at Burma Camp, Accra, on Monday.

He urged the company to do a thorough work in all the military facilities and their schools to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Major (Rtd) Oduro said the health and general well-being of members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) was paramount to government.

This, he said, was the reason the government engaged Zoomlion to undertake such an exercise in all military facilities across the country.
"Just like the disinfection exercise of both public and private schools in the country, this exercise is to be replicated in the country, it is crucial to reduce and control the community spread of COVID-19," he explained.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, however, cautioned that the exercise alone was not a panacea to the spread of the virus "if we do not play our part to stop it."

He said the Armed Forces has put in place teams to ensure the strict compliance of the President's directives on COVID-19.
"Let us all continue to maintain these protocols by wearing our nose masks, keeping social distancing, regular washing of our hands and use of hand sanitisers".

Major (Rtd) Oduro also used the opportunity to applaud the GAF for their professionalism and sense of urgency to duty.
"I want to commend all ranks for standing up to your call and for the support you continue to offer the Commander-in-Chief and the Ministry.
"There is no doubt that the efforts you are making to provide the all-round security and support, including logistics in this period, has contributed to the success that we have chalked as a country," he said.

Lt. General Boamah Acquah, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), reiterated the GAF's commitment to continue to support the government in the fight against COVID-19.

He said the GAF will continue to utilise the Level II Hospital at El Wak Stadium and put at the disposal of the Ghana Health Service its logistics chain management expertise and use of all assets, by land, sea and air, to tackle the menace, until the fight is won.

Lt. General Acquah said personnel of GAF have been deployed to enforce adherence to the COVID-19 preventive protocols directed by the President.
"As our contribution, we have deployed across the length and breadth of our country the GAF to enforce the measures. We helped to enforce the three-week lockdown in providing security at Isolation Centres, providing escorts to fumigation teams and the exercise will ensure that personnel and their families are safe to carry out their duties".

Mrs Florence Larbi, the Chief Operations Officer and Managing Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, said throughout its disinfection "we have been using disinfectants that are chlorine-based containing sodium hypochlorite.

She said the disinfectants were effective within 10–60 minutes' of contact time and widely available and recommended by the WHO for surface disinfection as part of infection prevention.

"Chlorine-based solutions are safe and used for water treatment, for example in swimming pools. This Chlorine based disinfectant is most effective in killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, including influenza virus.

Mrs Larbi, took the opportunity to assure the entire country that the company's state-of-the-art vector control assemblage of equipment is second to none in the waste management sector in the country, adding, "we have in readiness thousands of Motorised Spraying Machines that can be deployed to a wide coverage area within the shortest time possible."

"We also have Phoenix Fogger Machines (both hand operated and car mounted), Knapsack spraying machines, Boom Spraying Vehicles and Drones".

Mrs Larbi said the company has added a Modern Atomizing Boom Machine to its growing technological inventory which is capable of spraying up to 50 meters high, "we are outdooring that today".