The Tema Metropolitan Assembly in partnership with the Tema Zonal Office and Zoomlion Ghana have fumigated the Tema Community One market to help reduce the infestation of rodents.

The mice infestation in the market in recent times had become an albatross on the neck of the authorities with the traders heaving pressure on them to disinfest the market.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Kempes Ofosuware explained that the fumigation exercise was in response to calls from traders, complaining about the threats and dangers posed by the mice in the market.

He explained that recently mice have been linked to a number of fire outbreaks in various markets as they chew on electric cables exposing live electrical wires and threatening human lives.

He said these mice also feed on the wares of the market women, leading to financial loss, hence the decision to partner Zoomlion Ghana Limited in fumigating the market.

“It is incumbent upon the Assembly to clean the clean the market and our concern is not only on security but also to ensure that the market women operate in a hygienic environment”, the Tema Mayor said.

The Environmental Officer at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in charge of the central business district, Edward Anirinka explained that the mice in the market posed many dangers to not only the traders but consumers as well.

He explained that with the fumigation of the market, the market women can operate freely in a more hygienic environment.

The Tema Zonal Manager of Zoomlion Ghana, George Aguadze, said the mice were given with poisoned mouse food and as a result a great number of them have been eliminated.

“This exercise would be carried out across the country in order to bring mice infestations in our markets to the barest minimum” he assured.

The traders at the Tema community one market expressed gratitude to the authorities for the exercise and appealed that similar attention be paid to the drainage and sewer system in the market.