A total of 109 market places and bus terminals are currently benefiting from phase two of the national spraying exercise.

The initiative was introduced by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with private waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited, to disinfect public markets quarterly, as a measure to eradicate bacteria and viruses across the country.

The Upper West Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin Salih, while addressing the media in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa, said a total of 109 markets and terminals will benefit from the exercise.

He said: "In the Upper West region, 109 markets shall be disinfected today, including public toilets that are located within the environs of the market. In the Wa Municipality, 14 markets shall be disinfected."

Already, similar exercises have been undertaken in Great Accra, Ashanti and Bono regions.

He added that the weekly markets in all the major markets in the region have been banned so as to ensure the patrons and the traders adhere to social-distancing protocols to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The General Manager of Zoomlion Ghana in the region, Mr Emmanuel Volsuuri, also said it is important to disinfect the market regularly to control the spread of COVID-19, adding that the involvement of Zoomlion Ghana contributes to making the exercise effective.