The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Sa-eed, has made a fervent appeal to the people of his region to ensure discipline by observing all the COVID-19 safety protocols.

This, he said, would help people in the Northern Region in particular, and the country as a whole, to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

“I want to make a passionate appeal to the citizens of Northern Region in particular, and Ghanaians in general, to “self-imprison COVID-19” by wearing nose mask, practising social distancing and staying at home when we do not have any essential thing to do in town,” he advised.

The northern regional minister made the appeal when he launched the second phase of the markets, lorry parks, public toilets disinfection, fumigation and cleaning exercise in his region at the Jubilee Park, Tamale, Northern Region, on Sunday, (July 26, 2020).

The exercise – a collaboration between the ministry of local government and rural development (MLGRD) – was aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Hon Salifi Sa-eed, ensuring self-discipline by observing the COVID-19 preventive protocols was very key in the fight against the virus. He described as sad the notion that many were still doubting the reality of COVID-19.

“Let me re-emphasise that the novel virus [COVID-19] is real, and that the doubting Thomases must have a rethink and follow the protocols,” he urged.

He used the chance to commend various institutions that have been playing crucial roles in the region’s fight against the epidemic.

These, he mentioned, included health workers, security agencies [comprising the military, police, and fire service], media and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Speaking to the media, the General Manager (GM), Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Northern Region, Mr Peter Dawuni, said, his outfit started the exercise at exactly 4:00 a.m., which involved the use of equipment including foggers, mechanised sweepers, atomisers and Knapsack sprayers.

“In total, we are disinfecting and cleaning 365 markets, 400 public toilets respectively in addition to chiefs’ places, mosques and lorry parks,” he disclosed.

The exercise, he said, would be completed on Monday, [July 27, 2020] with a huge clean-up exercise in all the disinfected markets and public places.

While stating that the first phase of the exercise was good, he stressed that there was the need for his company to improve upon its operations.

Again, Mr Dawuni reiterated the need for the country to do periodic disinfection, especially of public places, to help contain the virus..

Tamale Central Market and Lorry Park, Aboabo Market, Savelugu Market and Lorry Park, Damongo Market and Yapei Market were some of the facilities that benefited from the exercise.

The team also disinfected chiefs’ palaces, public toilets and other public places along the line.