The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Fred Adu Anim, has confirmed to the general public that some of the inmates in cells in the region have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The infected inmates, he went on to add, had been sent to the various isolation centres for treatment.
According to him, those who have tested positive for Covid-19 have been separated from the rest of the inmates for “fresh suspects who will be coming to our custody.”
Although DCOP Anim could not disclose the number of inmates who had been infected with the virus and their whereabouts, he said media reports on Saturday morning, May 9, 2020, indicated that two Nigerian inmates had been discharged because their test results were negative for Covid-19.
He made this known during a major clean-up plus disinfection and fumigation exercises by the Ghana Police Service in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
The exercises are aimed at fighting the spread of the COVID-19 and also ensure that the entire environs of the Accra Regional Police Headquarters were clean.
DCOP Anim said: “We are here today to disinfect and fumigate all offices of the regional headquarters and the barracks attached to the headquarters as well as the various cells within the headquarters.”
The regional commander said the disinfection exercise was in line with the government’s fight against the deadly coronavirus.
“…Because the exercise is taking place in the various cells, all the inmates were moved out of their cells, with the hardened criminals contained in the police moving van to prevent any escape while the normal ones were grouped in front of their cells to aid the disinfection and fumigation exercise,” DCOP Anim stated.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Jospong Group of Companies, Ms Sophia Lissah, said the clean-up exercise was concurrently done in all the 14 divisional police commands within the region.
She, however, said the disinfection and fumigation were done in the regional headquarters and all police training schools.
As usual, Zoomlion Ghana Limited marshalled all their equipment, including boom atomisers, skips, spraying machines, knapsacks and other waste management equipment.
According to Ms Lissah, the exercise covered two cells, the Striking Force offices, barracks and the charge office for today while other areas will be scheduled for next week.
“This exercise is very unique because aside [from] the officers and their families, we realise that they live together with the inmates in the same community so if one person has the disease, it becomes dicey,” she stated.
“Again, we also realise that the police officers are amongst the front-line workers in the fight against Covid-19 and so there is the need to reach out to them.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
