Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Fred Adu Anim, has confirmed to the general public that some of the inmates within cells in the region have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The infected inmates, he went on to add, have been sent to the various isolation centres for treatment.

According to him, those who have tested positive for Covid-19 have been separated from the rest of the inmates or “fresh suspects who will be coming to our custody.”

Although, DCOP Anim could not disclose the number of inmates who have been infected with the virus and their whereabouts, he said media reports on Saturday morning, May 9, 2020 indicated that two Nigerian inmates have been discharged because their test results were negative for Covid-19.
He made this known during a major clean-up plus disinfection and fumigation exercises by the Ghana Police Service in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

It was aimed at fighting the spread of the COVID-19 also ensure that the entire environ of the Accra Regional Police Headquarters was clean.

Police and Zoomlion personnel who participated in the exercise were seen with rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows, gathering refuse, while heavy duty-trucks collected the waste for proper disposal.

Others also swept the street in front of the regional police headquarters and evacuated tonnes of waste at various points.

DCOP Anim said: “we are here today to disinfect and fumigate all offices of the regional headquarters and the barracks attached to the headquarters as well as the various cells within the headquarters.”

The regional commander said the exercise was in line with the government of Ghana’s fight against the deadly coronavirus.

“…because the exercise is taking place in the various cells, all the inmates were moved out from their cells with the hardened criminals contained in a police moving van to prevent any escape while the normal ones were grouped in front of their cells to aid the disinfection and fumigation exercise,” DCOP Anim stated.

On his part, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Jospong Group of Companies, Ms Sophia Lissah, said the clean-up exercise was concurrently done in all the 14 divisional police commands within the region.

She, however, said the disinfection and fumigation were done in the regional headquarters and all police training schools.

As usual, Zoomlion Ghana Limited marshalled all their equipment ranging from boom atomisers, skips, spraying machines, knapsacks and other waste management equipment.

According to Ms Lissah, the exercise covered two cells, the Striking Force Offices, barracks and the Charge Office for today while other areas will be scheduled for next week.

“This exercise is very unique because aside [from] the officers and their families, we realised that they live together with the inmates in the same community so if one person has the disease it becomes dicey,” she stated.

“Again, we also realised that the police officers are amongst the frontline workers in the fight against Covid-19 and so there is the need to reach out to them.”