The Ellembelle District Assembly in the Western Region as part of measures to curb the spread of the killer Coronavirus pandemic, has supplied all places of worship with thermometer guns.

In addition, Veronica buckets, sanitizers, paper tissues, dustbins among others were also supplied.

The District did this gesture after disinfecting all places of worship within the area two weeks ago to allow them to worship God without being infected with the Coronavirus.

According to the data presented to the media, 500 churches and mosques (places of worship) were registered and almost 350 thermometer guns were given out.

The rest of the registered places of worship had been promised to receive their share in the coming days.

The kind gesture will help majority of churches and mosques in the District to worship God affectively because almost three weeks now, these churches and mosques have not been going to church and mosques to worship God in their buildings all because of thermometer guns.



President Akufo-Addo had already directed that no church building or Mosque should be opened for congregants without a thermometer gun.

Addressing the gathering, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh disclosed that after the easing of the restrictions on churches and mosques by President Akufo-Addo, the District Assembly relaxed that some places of worship had not opened on Sundays and other days for members to meet and worship God because of thermometer guns.

"...When we saw this and received report, as a DCE I sat down with my management and planned to assist them so we asked them to pick forms and register free of charge and they registered and after that we started the procurement process and by His Grace we have brought the thermometer guns plus other items today and we bought 300 thermometer guns and we are going to give to it out and add the rest in the coming days", the DCE stated.

According to the DCE, no District in Ghana has given free thermometer guns to all places of worship within its jurisdiction as Ellembelle District has done.

"Today's programme we are doing we are sharing Veronica buckets with accessories, liquid soaps, sanitizers, paper tissues and over three hundred (300) thermometer guns to support God's work, the whole Ghana, no District has done this before", he said.

He, therefore seized the opportunity to urge religious leaders who were present at the ceremony to observe the COVID-19 preventive measures and educate their members about the virus.

He also chanced the opportunity and pleaded with them to preach peaceful Election and asked them to urge their members to involve themselves into the voter's registration exercise.

The DCE who is also the Chairman of the Ellembelle District Security Council pledged to provide massive security for the upcoming voter's registration exercise.

Allegation of squandering COVID-19 funds

The DCE took the opportunity to rubbish claims that he had misapplied COVID-19 funds.

He said all money given to the Assembly to fight against the Coronavirus had been utilized successfully.

"Anytime I hear that Ellembelle DCE has chop money meant for COVID-19, I just laugh over it. In this District alone, we have shared over 8,000 Veronica buckets to all Communities, places of worship and institutions".

He continued, "The COVID-19 money that was given to us by the central government is GHC118,000 and is not up to GHC200,000 and other companies like Ghana Gas Company and Adamus Mining Company have given the Assembly GHC30,000 and GHC10,000 respectively".

"As Assembly, we took GHC50,000 and gave it to Ellembelle District Health Directorate and added Veronica buckets, sanitizers, tissues, liquid soaps and thermometer guns to them. As we are speaking we are building a COVID-19 related ultra-modern fishing market at Aiyinasi so if they are saying Bonzoh as a DCE has chopped COVID-19 funds then they are saying it because of cheap politics or out of hatred because in terms Coronavirus fight as a district we are doing well in this country than those Districts that have not been accused of squandering COVID-19 funds", he concluded.

On his part, the Deputy Chief Imam of Ellembelle District, Mr. Abubakr Mohammed expressed his profound gratitude for the kind gesture offered them.

"We thank the DCE and thus government and we will continue to pray for this government to remain in power for long because they are doing well in terms of COVID-19 fight and they love we the citizens", he acknowledged.

He, therefore promised to make good use of the items to achieve it intended purpose and pledged to continue to educate his members about the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

He took the opportunity to advise Muslim youth not to be allowed to foment troubles during the voter's registration exercise.

He charged them to comport themselves during the exercise to ensure peaceful exercise.

Ellembelle District has so far recorded 15 positive cases of Coronavirus in Western Region.