Waste management expert, Zoomlion on Thursday commenced disinfection of tertiary institutions in the Ashanti Region as they prepare to reopen after nearly three months break.

Tertiary institutions, religious bodies and some public organizations were closed, after President Akufo-Addo imposed a lockdown due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in March.

Addressing journalists after the first day of the exercise, the Registrar of the Kumasi Technical University, Ebenezer Kofi Boakye, said the exercise would repose confidence in students as they return for academic activities on June 15, 2020.

Kumasi Technical University is expecting 3,400 final year students to return for academic activities after COVID-19 break.

“COVID-19 has become part of us like malaria, cholera and others, so we have to live with it and respect the World Health Organization’s protocols and that of the Ministry of Health to minimize the spread,” Mr Kofi Boakye stressed.

He however added that the wearing of nose masks and social distancing would be enforced to the letter and the affixing of automated sanitizers at vantage points on campus to minimize the risk of a potential outbreak in the school.

Mr Kwame Boakye further disclosed that a COVID-19 emergency committee headed by the Vice Chancellor would periodically visit lecture halls and offices to ensure students and the teaching body adhere to the laid-down protocols.

While praising government and Zoomlion’s efforts at helping to curb the spread of the disease, he disclosed that students whose courses do not require practical tuition would be allowed to continue to study on the online learning platform.

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology was the next port of call for Zoomlion field officers, as they moved in to disinfect lecture halls and offices.

The exercise would be completed before the institutions officially reopen.