Minister for Government’s Special Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson is asking market women and traders in the various markets in the Central Region to own the handwashing campaign in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

According to her, the handwashing campaign is a serious exercise in the fight against the coronavirus and should be the concern of all.

Mavis Hawa Koomson who led a team of government officials from the Central region to distribute veronica buckets and sanitizers to market women in Cape Coast is optimistic if social distancing protocols and handwashing is done, the spread of the virus would be minimised.

“As the president indicated, we are not in normal times and these times demand responsible actions from all of us. Let’s heed to the president’s directive and protect ourselves from the virus,” he pleaded.

The Ministers of State, MPs and MDDCEs and other government officials from the central Region  met market queens and other leaders of the markets in the central Region to give them ‘Veronica Buckets,’ alcohol-based hand sanitizers and other liquid soaps to help them wash their hands thoroughly and also to keep clean to fight the virus.

More importantly, they went round to sensitise the traders in the markets on the need to wash their hands thoroughly and also to observe the social distancing protocol.

Metropolitan chief executive of Cape Coast, Ernest Arthur indicated the task force has intensified its work to ensure that the president’s directive is adhered strictly. He, however, says, they had difficulties at the beaches but he assured the task force would step in to deal with the situation.

“I am leading a team to distribute these buckets, hand sanitizers and others to the various markets. There are several teams out there that are helping to enforce the president’s directive. We will step up the campaign,” he assured.

A market queen at the Abura Market in Cape Coast, Auntie Cecilia praised the MCE for Cape Coast and the team for the education given them. She assured they will go down to the various markets to help educate the other traders and market women.

 “The Metro Assembly has been of immense help in this fight against this virus. We will continue sensitizing our members so we can protect ourselves and our families. We are going to teach them to wash their hands thoroughly under running water using the veronica buckets,” she assured.

The veronica buckets were placed at vantage points at the markets to enable buyers and sellers at the various markets to wash their hands.