Zoomlion Ghana Limited has intensified a seven-day disinfection and disinfestation campaign across the Oti Region to help prevent disease outbreaks and improve environmental sanitation following recent flooding.
The exercise began concurrently in the Krachi East and Krachi West Municipalities and is expected to extend to all nine Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the region.
The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the various Assemblies, which have identified communities and public areas requiring urgent intervention.
Areas being targeted include markets, shops and sheds, public toilets, drains and gutters, refuse container points, waste disposal sites, flood-prone communities and other public spaces that could serve as breeding grounds for disease-causing organisms and harmful pathogens.
Speaking to the media during the exercise, Oti Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Joseph Buabeng, said the intervention formed part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme and its commitment to supporting public health and local authorities.
He explained that the exercise went beyond routine fumigation, incorporating both disinfection and disinfestation to control disease vectors, eliminate harmful pathogens and reduce the risk of waterborne and other communicable diseases linked to flooding and poor sanitation.
“Our objective is to protect residents from diseases that commonly emerge after flooding. We do not want to wait until there is an outbreak before taking action. This is a proactive measure aimed at safeguarding public health and protecting lives,” Mr. Buabeng stated.
According to him, floodwaters could transport sewage, waste and other contaminants into drains, waterways and public areas, increasing the risk of diseases such as cholera, particularly in communities with existing sanitation challenges.
He said waste disposal sites and areas close to water bodies were receiving special attention because decomposing waste, leachate and rising fly populations could pose serious environmental and public health threats.
Mr. Buabeng added that the exercise followed a directive from the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, for the company to support communities nationwide in controlling vector-borne diseases and reducing the risks associated with harmful pathogens.
However, he stressed the need for long-term measures to address Ghana’s sanitation problems.
He called for the construction and proper maintenance of engineered landfill sites, stricter regulation of waste transportation and the development of strategically located waste transfer stations in rapidly expanding municipalities.
Environmental Health Officer at the Krachi East Municipal Assembly, Adem Atiase, commended Zoomlion for the intervention, describing it as a valuable contribution to the Assembly’s environmental health efforts.
He said the exercise would help make public spaces safer, cleaner and healthier for residents.
The Oti Region campaign forms part of Zoomlion’s nationwide disinfection and disinfestation programme, which aims to strengthen collaboration with local authorities, improve environmental sanitation, control disease vectors and prevent potential outbreaks while promoting healthier communities across Ghana.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar