The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has made a passionate appeal to organizations and institutions in the industrial cum harbour city to help the Assembly to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the area.
Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, making the appeal at a press briefing, said Tema attracted a number of migrants who thronged the city in search of jobs by virtue of the Metropolis’ status as a port city and industrial hub.
He added that most of these persons ended up in the slums and inner cities, resulting in rough sleeping and other dire conditions which would be exacerbated due to the partial lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is on this note that I launch an appeal to all business institutions, companies, public-spirited individuals and faith-based organization; churches and mosques to support the Assembly in cash and kind to enable us to feed the sick, poor and needy during this challenging period”, he appealed.
Touching on measures put in place by the Assembly towards the prevention of the disease in the area, he said he had directed that the existing CHPs compounds and available hostel facilities in the Metro should be assessed and if found suitable should be converted into temporary holding bays for the isolation of patients for testing.
He added that as part of measures, on March 20, his outfit sensitized leaders of the various markets in Tema on proper handwashing techniques and its related measures to prevent contamination and the spread of the virus.
He said each market queen received 20 veronica buckets with accessories for use at the various market centres throughout the Metropolis, adding that “this was followed by the disinfection of all the markets in the area.”
Mr Anang-La stated that following the President’s directive for the partial lockdown, the Assembly met with stakeholders and decided to create temporary open markets to ease congestion at the existing markets to enable traders and buyers observe social distancing.
Other measures were the agreement with transport unions to reduce the operation of high occupancy vehicles that plied the central business district area.
On the enforcement of the partial lockdown, he said compliance levels had been generally high, stating however that there had been pockets of challenges within the densely populated communities such as Tema Manhean and the inner cities of sites one, two and 20 and a few other localities in Communities seven and eight.
He said the Tema Metro COVID-19 Response Team, which was the sensitization arm of the Public Health Emergency Committee, had rolled out several outreach programmes to educate and inform the general public on prevention measures and adhering to directives.
He commended the media, health personnel and other stakeholders for their contributions towards the fight against COVID-19 and appealed to the media to continue the educating the masses on the disease.
“We must all know that the recklessness of one person puts the whole community at risk, therefore we must all be vigilant and continue to be each other’s keeper.
By Laudia Sawer, GNA
