The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) is embarking on public disinfection exercise in the northern regional capital as part of intensive preventive mechanisms to control the wield spread of the novel coronavirus in Ghana. The Mayor of Tamale, Mr. Iddrisu Musah Superior today Friday, 20 March, 2020, launched the National Disinfection Exercise against the COVID-19 disease after the assembly received some logistics from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

The Ministry donated about three hundred items which includes; Refuse Bins, Veronica buckets, Sanitizers, and Spraying Machines to the assembly. The Tamale MCE revealed some personnel have been hired by the LGRD to support the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana to spray some public spaces including the major markets in the country.

The Tamale Mayor disclosed the assembly is also procuring about two hundred more of the items to complement what the sector ministry has done. However, he urged the public to protect the items in this difficult time so as to serve its purpose, warning people would be prosecuted if any recalcitrant individual is found stealing them.

Mr. Iddrisu Musah advised residents of Tamale to maintain personal hygiene by frequent hand washing, using hand sanitizers and avoid unnecessary handshakes and body contacts. He also stressed the need for people to stop buying food from unhygienic places and restaurants in the metropolis. He said the assembly would not allow food vendors to sell under unhealthy conditions in the area.

The Tamale Chief Executive together with the Information Service Department embarked on public sensitization at the major markets in the capital. He reiterated that, there should be no form of social gathering in the area. He said the city authorities will not allow any social gathering henceforth and disobedient ones will be arrested and prosecuted. He maintained that, all public gathering should be suspended until indefinitely.

The Ghana Health Service has confirmed five more cases Friday morning, increasing the numbers in the country to 16.  The GHS indicated two of the five recorded cases are local infected. 

A 53-year-old Ghanaian male, resident of Tema with no history of travel, no evidence of close contact with confirmed case and a 34-year-old Ghanaian lady, resident of Accra but contact of a confirmed case at place of work.