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The announcement by Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, that the Government has spent a whopping Ghc76million to spray markets and public toilets around the country in just the first phase of a nationwide fumigation exercises has left shock in the air.
Jaws have dropped because chlorine is very inexpensive with a half a kilogram of chlorine granules, with an overkill efficacy of 56%, retailing on the world market for under 4 dollars.
What is even more interesting is that while the Government is reporting that it spent Ghc76million for just the first phase of blasting a mixture of chlorine and water around some 4000 places as part of the Covid-19 response, popular waste management company, Zoomlion, had committed just Ghc1million to a nationwide disinfection campaign that did not only cover markets, but also schools and offices.
Hajia Alima Mahama made this curious announcement during the routine government Meet the Press series at the Ministry of Information, saying a contract for the second phase of disinfection had already been signed and would soon begin.
WhatsUp News has checked online and can report that half a kilogram of chlorine granules retails for US$3.91. This is less than 21 cedis.
Also online, fumigation cans tend to cost between $0.5 to $3 each. Goggles, gloves boots even cost less. And it is worthy of note that Ghana has had a lot of PPE donations, to help it combat the Covid-19, including from the Jack Ma Foundation.
On 9th April 2020, Zoomlion Ghana Limited announced it had voted some GH¢1million for its nationwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease disinfection exercise meant to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
The company’s Coordinator for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disinfection Exercise, Mrs Lola Asiseh Ashitey, had told national broadsheet, Daily Graphic that the Ghc1million was to cover major activities including the disinfection of markets and institutions as well as cleaning up of some cities around the country.