Go-Hope Ghana, a private voluntary organisation, on Wednesday launched a project to distribute one million nose masks to all 16 regions in Ghana in support of the COVID-19 fight.

Dubbed: “Operation one million nose masks campaign,” the six-month project starts this month and ends in February 2021.

Mr Emmanuel Addae, the General Secretary of the Association, who made this known at the launch of the Project in Accra, said the organisation would share other items such as hand sanitisers and liquid soap.

He explained that Go-Hope Ghana provides hope for the marginalised and builds the capacity of farmers, petty traders, fishermen and non-formal commercial drivers to make the best out of their trade.

He said the need to curb the COVID-19 pandemic could not be over-emphasised as it had not only affected livelihoods and education but had also taken precious lives.

“It is also the duty of the Association to explore opportunities for the expansion of businesses of the needy and chase out COVID-19 for normal life to bounce back,” Mr Addae said.

He said the group would sensitise the public on the relevance of observing the safety protocols, especially when using public transport and at the various lorry stations, adding: “All must join in the fight to minimise the spread of the pandemic to complement government’s efforts”.

“Hundreds of thousands of people travel by road everyday - drivers, mates, passengers, and hawkers are all supposed to protect themselves by wearing nose masks, washing and sanitizing their hands and ensure that we practice social distancing but that is not what pertains at most lorry stations,” he said.

Mr Addae said one of the ways to contract the disease could be through boarding commercial vehicles and urged transport owners and associations to provide hand washing facilities, alcohol-based sanitisers and enforce the “No nose masks - No boarding of vehicle” to protect passengers, drivers and their mates.

“They should again disinfect their vehicles and washrooms at the terminals from time to time,” he said.

He said the organisation would engage policy makers on the best ways of enforcing the COVID-19 safety protocols to stop the spread of the virus.

Mr Richard Kwaku Duah, the National Chairman of Go-Hope Ghana, commended President Akufo-Addo for the prudent manner in which he was managing the pandemic and pledged the organisation’s support to the COVID-19 fight.